Licensing & Acquisitions
Streaming Videos at the UConn Library
The UConn Library provides access to tens of thousands of streaming videos through our catalog. The best way to find streaming videos is to search the Library's catalog.
- Go to the library catalog and conduct your search.
- Use Refine my results to choose Availability = Full Text Online and Resource Type = Video Recordings
Additionally, faculty can request an individual stream that is not yet in our collection if it is necessary for a course. The Library will make every effort to license the stream if available and within budget.
Please note:
- It can take up to three weeks to process a streaming request, longer for a request that requires a search for the rights holder. Please plan accordingly.
- Streams available on commercial platforms such as Netflix and Prime Video are not necessarily available for institutional licensing.
Streaming Video Collections
Assigning a video from one of these collections for a class? Contact lib.acquisitions@uconn.edu to request long-term access.
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Academic Video Online85,000+* titles spanning a wide range of subject areas including anthropology, business, counseling, film, health, history, music, and more
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Films on DemandDocumentary films on various topics in the humanities and social sciences
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KanopyAccess to a select number of documentaries, classic films, and feature films requested by UConn faculty
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Psychotherapy.netOne hundred streaming videos documenting applied aspects of psychotherapy, counseling, psychology, and social work
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Swank Top 1000Access to 1000 feature films, documentaries, foreign films, and TV shows curated to include the top movies and documentaries used by academic libraries provided by Swank in partnership with studio partners
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Symptom MediaOnline mental health education and training film library with hundreds of mental health simulations
The Library owns these streaming video collections in perpetuity.
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BBC Shakespeare Plays37 Shakespeare plays, both comedies and dramas, remastered and presented as originally produced by the BBC
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BroadwayHD CollectionIncludes 19 premium performances of plays and musicals from the New York theatre scene
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Docuseek2 Complete CollectionApproximately 2,300 issues-based documentary films from producers and distributors including GoodDocs, Bullfrog Films, Icarus Films, the BBC, the National Film Board of Canada, KimStim, and other independent filmmakers from around the world. Focuses on environmental studies and sciences, sociology, anthropology, global studies, area studies, women’s studies, history, political science, criminal justice, health, psychology, the arts, and more
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Ethnographic Video OnlineClassic and contemporary ethnographies, documentaries, and shorts from every continent, including hundreds of cultural groups and practices around the world
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Film Platform CollectionIncludes documentaries released from 2020-2022 covering topics including topics such as environmental science, media studies, women's studies, and sociology
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Music Online: Opera in VideoProvides access to streaming videos of opera performances, captured on video through staged productions, interviews, and documentaries
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National Theatre CollectionAccess 30 productions from the UK’s National Theatre. Also includes exclusive digitized archival materials such as photographs, scripts, costume designs, providing behind-the-scenes background and contextual information for each of the featured productions
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PBS Video Collection1,600 streaming videos produced by PBS. Includes films from well-known PBS series such as Ken Burns' Jazz, NOVA, Frontline, and Finding Your Roots
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Royal Shakespeare Company CollectionHigh-definition video-recorded productions of Shakespeare's plays, such as Hamlet and The Tempest. Filmed at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Stratford-on-Avon theatre
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Theatre in VideoVideo of plays and documentaries and information on various leading playwrights, actors and directors
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Other Videos from Alexander Street Press300 documentary, independent, and other films purchased or leased for unlimited access
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American Archive of Public BroadcastingMulti-station archive of PBS material from years back
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Facing History and OurselvesAccess to a diverse collection of streaming video covering subjects that include history, music, and psychology. As you search the website, if a login block appears, simply click on the video title, which will bring you to a second page, which includes a password-free link for students
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Internet ArchiveRange from classic full-length movies to daily alternative news
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Isuma TVContent about cultures indigenous to Canada, U.S.A., Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and all over Latin America. Content is made freely available by the filmmaker/organization, but can be pulled at any time
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Netflix Documentaries (YouTube)Access to several Netflix documentaries through its YouTube channel.
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PBS LearningStreaming clips from PBS programs
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thoughtmaybeDocumentaries
How much does it cost for the Library to acquire an individual stream?
On average, a non-studio-produced streaming video, such as a documentary, costs $150 per year and $350 for three years for unlimited use by UConn users. Major studio films average $250 per year. If a stream is available in perpetuity and the Library deems the investment cost-effective, the Library will purchase a perpetual license. Perpetual streams can range from $500 - $800.
How long will my requested stream be available?
Unless otherwise specified, an individual stream is licensed for one year. This end date will be noted in the Library's catalog.
How will I know if my requested stream is still available?
The Library endeavors to track individual subscriptions/licenses, but due to the increased demand for streaming video, we may not be able to contact you when a stream expires. The best practice is to make note of the expiration date provided in the library catalog and confirm access prior to each semester. Contact lib.acquisitions@uconn.edu to request renewal.
How will I know if a stream I assigned from a subscribed streaming video collection is still available?
The Library does not always have control over the titles in a large aggregated collection, especially Academic Video Online. Distributors may pull their content from these platforms at any time. It is best practice to check access prior to each semester. If you are assigning a stream from a subscribed collection, please notify lib.acquisitions@uconn.edu. If a video you have assigned is pulled from a collection, the Library may be able to purchase the stream so you do not lose access.
How will I know if a stream I assigned from an owned streaming collection is still available?
The Library purchases streaming collections and single streams in perpetuity if available for purchase and when practical. If a stream is available in perpetuity, this will be indicated in its catalog record. As there can be the occasional access issue with purchased titles, it is best practice to check access prior to each semester.
What restrictions are there on using videos from the Library's streaming collections?
• Videos are licensed for the use of UConn students, staff, faculty, and walk-in users only
• Videos may not be broadcast via videoconferencing platforms such as Zoom and Webex
• Public performance rights are needed to show a video to a group outside of a classroom setting
