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Emory University Emory Libraries

Including Library Resources in Your Course

Using Videos in the Classroom

AV Media requesting and checkout: Request physical AV media in Library Search for pickup at the Woodruff Library Service Desk (main level).

AV Media booking: Use the Media Booking Form to schedule visual materials in advance for instructional use and insure materials are available on the day you need them. Please allow one (1) business day for processing.

Media Support in Emory College Classrooms: Contact ECAS Classroom Technology Services (echelp@emory.edu or 404-727-6853) to ensure that your classroom has the playback equipment that you need and for general classroom technology support.

Group Viewing Room: The library’s Group Viewing Room (room 423) features 20 seats, a 60-inch high definition plasma display, surround-sound, a data port for internet use, and touch-screen remote-control for instructors. The room has playback capability for Blu-ray discs, DVDs (all region), VHS cassettes, and audio CDs. Ask about other formats. Use of the room is limited to Emory classes. To ensure access for everyone, no single class may use the room more than six times per semester. Instructors may reserve the room with the room request form. 

 

Streaming Video

The Emory Libraries subscribe to numerous academic streaming video collections, and we license individual streaming video titles to support teaching and research. Most of these titles are findable in Library Search. Highlights include: 

You can request or recommend streaming films by contacting your department's subject librarian, or using the Emory Libraries streaming video purchase request form.

Streaming Video for Courses

In addition to the services listed above, the library can:

  • License access to many Hollywood studio films and some television programs through Swank Digital Campus on a semester basis, as part of Course Reserves.
  • Obtain a Digital Site License to host specialized streaming video titles not offered on the platforms listed above.

When planning to use video in courses, please bear in mind the following caveats:

  • Not every film or television program on DVD is available for academic streaming due to the complexities of film rights and licensing.
  • We recommend having a backup film or assignment lined up in case the library is unable to license the film you requested.

The fulfillment time for streaming video course requests varies greatly by supplier, their average response time, and whether the library needs to negotiate a new license for the video. Typically, streaming videos fall under one of three scenarios:  

Faster (1 week average) 

  • The supplier provides access on their own platform which is already set up with us and they have a rapid turnaround time
  • Examples: Swank Digital Campus, Kanopy, Docuseek2

Medium (2-4 weeks average) 

  • We have an established relationship with the supplier and they usually have a good turnaround time, but we have to host on our own server. 
  • Examples: Women Make Movies, GoodDocs, KinoLorber

Longer (1 month or longer) 

  • Smaller distributors, especially when we do not have an established relationship. 
  • Videos that do not have clearly identified licensors for streaming and require further rights research on our part.

For “longer” titles in particular we recommend having a backup plan in place.

Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, et al.

The library typically cannot provide institutional access to exclusive content on the major commercial streaming platforms. Their accounts are designed for individual users only, and in many cases their terms of use prohibit group screenings.

Netflix offers a "grant of permission for educational screenings" for some of their exclusive documentaries. You can determine whether the title you want to screen offers this by searching in Netflix's Media Center. You will need to screen the title using a personal Netflix account.

As an instructor, you may be able to obtain permission to screen a title in class. For help finding a contact, email James Steffen, the Film and Media Studies Subject Librarian, or use our Ask A Librarian service.

 

Showing Clips in Class

If you only need students to view portions of a film (or program), you also have the option of creating clips from a DVD or Blu-ray to use for your class. For more information, contact Steve Bransford, Senior Video Producer at the Emory Center for Digital Scholarship, or James Steffen, the Film and Media Studies Librarian.

While the initial creation of video clips requires a time investment, it can help save time in the classroom and can save effort in the long run--especially if you have specific clips that you like to show regularly or if you teach a course on a recurring basis.