Library FAQ

Streaming Video Platforms

Video content is available in several library databases, but we have a handful of resources that are specifically for streaming video.

• Academic Video Online
• Films on Demand
• Kanopy Streaming Video
• Swank Digital Campus

For most of these platforms, videos are part of a collection that we subscribe to in bulk with no options to curate the contents ourselves - videos are added and removed by the vendor without our input.  For others such as Kanopy, we can request and order videos on demand that we don't have but that are in their collection, but there is an associated cost to the library.  For this reason, requests will be reviewed and some may be denied or delayed, particularly if there are many simultaneous requests or if a large number of requests come in during particular times of the fiscal year.

Requesting Kanopy Videos

If you are a Rollins student, faculty, or staff member and you find a video in Kanopy that you need for a class and it is one we don't currently have access to, you can click the Request Access button on the video's page.  This request will trigger a process that is not instant since it needs to be vetted by library personnel.  Feel free to include any notes in the text box of the request form ("needed for class," "required viewing for final exam," etc.)

1. After you request a video, the request is sent to library faculty and/or staff.  The library employee must then trigger the purchase on our end.
2. You will receive an automated notification from Kanopy when your purchase has been approved, but there will be a brief turnaround time before the video is available to you.
3. Please avoid making multiple requests for the same video - since each request is manually reviewed by a library employee, duplicate requests slow the purchase process.
4. If a video you request is already available on another one of our platforms, we will let you know where the alternate access point is.

Please keep in mind that there might be a delay between your request and the purchase, and that the purchase is not automatic - library personnel will get to your request as soon as time and staffing allow, and they might have follow up questions based on the nature of the request. The video you're requesting might already be available elsewhere, which you can investigate by searching for it in our catalog.
 

Requesting Swank Videos

The library maintains a limited catalog of videos available in Swank, and we can rotate older, unwatched movies out of our collection in exchange for newer ones.  You can ask your librarian for more information about what's available there.

There is no limit to the number of concurrent viewers for Swank videos. 

Video Licenses, Rights, and Availability after Purchase

Please note that Swank videos do not have public performance rights (PPR), so they cannot be shown at public events.  Some, but not all, Kanopy titles include PPR. This website explains how to identify if the title you need has PPR or not. When using R-Search, you can check the Description of the item to determine if it includes PPR. Access the description by clicking on the film's titles. If you have questions about video performance rights, you can ask a librarian.

Purchasing a video in Kanopy for your class does not grant perpetual access.  Kanopy video licenses last for 1 year by default, so a purchased video will not be available a year from when it was ordered.  Therefore, it is best to test Kanopy links in your syllabi and Canvas classes before the semester starts and re-order videos you know you will need for that class.  If you teach the same class every year or know that you will need a particular Kanopy video for multiple classes over a period longer than a year, let us know that when requesting the video and we can investigate adjusting the purchase for a longer license duration.

You can request a renewal for a video license by using our Streaming Media Access Renewal Request Form.

Visibility of Streaming Videos in the Catalog

If you search our catalog you might not find links to a recently ordered video or you might find links to a video we no longer have.  This is due to the nature of how our Kanopy, Academic Video Online, and Films on Demand interact with our catalog.  Many of our databases pipe their content into our catalog automatically, but these three platforms have to provide us records that are manually downloaded, processed, and uploaded to our catalog by a library staff member.  This process occurs once per month for new videos; removed videos are not sent by the vendors more than two or three times a year, so they are not able to be updated as frequently.  If you have any doubts about the availability of a streaming video from one of these three platforms, it's always best to confirm their availability within the platforms themselves and link to the videos there in your syllabi or Canvas courses.

If you have any additional questions about streaming video, you can always ask a librarian.