Find Streaming Videos
The following resources are limited to current K-State students, faculty, and staff; requiring sign in with K-State eID and password.
See our list of databases with videos. Some databases include videos, such as methodology videos for labs, other databases focus on documentary or popular films.
Requesting Films
Please use our Video Request Form to request films not available in Search It, Swank, Kanopy, or Docuseek,
If you request a film that we already have on DVD, we will place that DVD on Reserves for your class; this does not affect your request if you asked for a streaming version of the film.
If you can collaborate with other instructors and use the same film for multiple classes, this will help stretch our budget.
Docuseek, Kanopy, and Swank
Access K-State Libraries' subscriptions to Docuseek, Kanopy, and Swank from our Databases list.
Instructions for embedding videos in Canvas are provided on in the "Embedding in Canvas" section of this guide, specifically the box titled "Instructions & Tips."
Docuseek
- Docuseek features documentaries from outlets like Bullfrog Films, The Fanlight Collection, GOOD DOCS, Icarus Films, First Run Features, Kartemquin Films, and more.
- Click on "My Movies" in the upper right corner of the site to see the titles K-State Libraries has already licensed.
- Use the search feature to identify other films available for licensing in the databases; most films have a preview option.
- Use K-State Libraries' Video Request Form to request films we do not already have access to
- If you use the request form from inside Docuseek, we'll send you a link to K-State Libraries' Video Request Form
- Video licenses are typically for one year.
- The expiration date for a licensed video can be found in the Search It record. Look for “Available until [date]” under the Docuseek link.
Kanopy
- Kanopy includes videos from BBC, Criterion Collection, classic films, international films, and documentaries
- The films that K-State Libraries has licensed are listed when Kanopy opens.
- Use the search feature to identify other films available for licensing in Kanopy.
- When you search, Kanopy first shows titles that K-State Libraries has licensed. If none match your search, Kanopy will say, "No results." Scroll past that message to see the films that match your search and can be requested.
- Use K-State Libraries' Video Request Form to request films we do not already have access to.
- If you use the request form from inside Kanopy, we'll send you a link to K-State Libraries' Video Request Form
- Video licenses are typically for one year.
- The expiration date for a licensed video can be found in the Search It record. Look for “Available until [date]” under the Kanopy link.
Swank Digital Campus -- using your instructor login, checking first to see if the title is already available. If not, use K-State Libraries' (not Swank's) Video Request Form.
- Swank is our primary provider of popular films
- The films that K-State Libraries has subscribed to appear when the website opens.
- We have a limited number of films we can request on Swank, so may not be able to fill all requests.
- We have access to a requested title in Swank for one year. The expiration date appears on the film's streaming page. Look for "Available through [date]"
- Our contract with Swank allows us to access a fixed number of titles in a three-year period. Once those titles are used, we have to wait to request different titles.
- Create and use the instructor login to search for films available to request. (The full catalog does not appear for students.)
- If the title is not available, request it using K-State Libraries Video Request Form.
When showing films from Swank, please be aware that based upon our contract:
- Swank films may be viewed for individual study or within a classroom context
- Swank films may not be publicized events outside of an email to an enrolled class
Immediately Available Streaming Films
Films in our other databases can be watched right away. Some databases marked as including videos also include books, journal articles, and other materials.
See our complete list of databases with videos.
- Academic Video Online*-- over 66,000 videos/films across disciplines. Includes documentaries, interviews, newsreels, award-winning films, and more.
- JoVE - (journal of visualized experiments) -- access to materials published 2011 - present. Includes videos of detailed experiments in biology, bionengineering, immunology and infection, medicine, and neuroscience.
- March of Time* -- restored newsreels shown in movie theaters in the U.S. between 1935 and 1967.
*Academic Video Online and March of Time are two of six video databases that we subscribe to on the Alexander Street Press platform. When looking for instruction about using these databases, information may be listed under Alexander Street Press.
Watch Parties for Your Classes
Watch parties can be accomplished by embedding or linking to our videos in Canvas and scheduling a start time for the film. Everyone in the class will be starting and stopping the film for themselves. Thus far, we have not determined a way for the instructor to control playing the film for the whole class without violating copyright. (If you know of a way, please let us know!)
The discussion can take place using:
- Canvas' Discussion Board - this is limited to a text-based discussion, and is an option for asynchronous discussions
- Zoom - video/audio discussions
- Social media or group texting apps
Film Showings and Festivals (Outside a Class)
If you are showing a film outside the Canvas/classroom environment, please see our Film Showings and Festivals guidance.
Commercial Streaming Platforms for At Home Use
Popular home streaming platforms are not available for institutional access; K-State Libraries cannot subscribe to or otherwise provide access to these platforms. [Example platforms include, but are not limited to Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Hulu, YouTube.]
Films assigned for classes may be accessible for individual students to rent, purchase, stream with a subscription, or stream with ads from one or more of these platforms. Use the following sites to determine how easily and at what cost students can purchase access. A possible, but not proven, guideline is to see how many platforms offer the film. Fewer platforms may indicate increased difficulty accessing the film.
These sites and the streaming platforms are described for informational purposes only; we are not endorsing their subscription for fee-based services.
*These sites can only indicate where a film/tv show is available that day. They cannot predict or guarantee the film will be available from a specific platform on a future date.
