Acquisitions handles all orders for media including music CDs, videos of all formats, games (both video and board games), and other material pertinent to the library collections.
Ordering Media – Collections
The Media Order form, Firm Order Form or the Excel format for submitting by list (see the option Order books by list under FORMS) may be used to submit orders for CDs, DVDs, streaming video, audio books or any other media. Please detail the format preferred and if the item is needed for a class and for what class (required to use the general media fund rather than a subject fund) or ask faculty to submit an order themselves from the Collections website using the Video Purchase Request Webform.
Streaming Video
About the Collection
We have access to thousands of full-length films as streaming video but the Library does not own them all. The films, both documentaries and a select list of feature films, cover a wide range of subject areas. Some have been bought from large vendors like Alexander Street Press. The Library also has the option to purchase annual leases for the films required for coursework and available on the Kanopy platform. Kanopy works with film distributors to offer access to over 30,000 films but by lease. These films are often not offered for sale to libraries as the producers rely on fees generated by individual access. The catalog includes bibliographic records for films we have leased previously from this service. Lease terms are included and show the expiration date. Always confirm that a lease is active for the time that the film is needed as expiration dates vary and are not based on the calendar or academic year. Instructors may request a new lease to support a course that is online and requires remote access or when a DVD is not available or sufficient. Instructors may request a film using the Video Purchase Request Webform or directly from the Kanopy platform and are asked to include the course information and need by date. Acquisition staff receive those requests and when appropriate, will work with Kanopy to activate a film usually then available within 24 business hours. One annual lease is $150.00 per year. Faculty will be referred to the DVD format whenever possible to avoid the lease fee. DVDs may be used in the classroom for face to face teaching.
Please note that most Hollywood productions cannot be purchased by the Library in streaming format. Instructors for film classes can inquire about this potential but as costs are prohibitive it is never guaranteed. Departments may elect to license access via Swank Digital Campus or to inquire about DVD purchases. The DVD collection titles can be placed on reserves by request. The instructor guide for reserves is at: http://guides.library.illinois.edu/reserves
Collection Development Policy
Please see the Library Office of Collections’ website for the current media collection development policy.
Public Performance Rights (PPR)
Only items for which we have been granted public performance rights can be shown to groups other than for face-to-face instruction as part of the regular institutional curriculum. The Library will purchase or lease films for the Library collections to support teaching and research. When adding items to the Library collections, public performance rights will be secured if possible but cannot be assumed. The Library does not have funds to support campus organizations wishing to show a film to a group when a film is not already available and already has public performance rights.
When viewing a record in the online catalog, look for the “Terms of Use” field near the call number.
If the Terms of Use field shows “Personal viewing or face-to-face teaching exemption only,” we do not have any public performance rights for that item. To show this item to a group, you would need to obtain a license for each performance. A large licensing company is Swank Motion Pictures. Kanopy is another large vendor that hosts films the Library leases. These films do have PPR (Kanopy PPR statement). Check our site at Kanopy to see titles available for leasing.
If the Terms of Use field shows just “Public Performance Rights,” this can be shown to groups, so long as no admission is charged. If there is anything more after “Public Performance Rights,” it will specify further restrictions. If nothing is specified if on Kanopy , it is fine but otherwise never assume that public performance is possible.
To search for items in our collection which have public performance rights indicated in the catalog:
- Go to the PRIMO
- Click on Advanced Search.
- In the box to the right of “Search:”, type “public performance rights” without the quotation marks.
- Click on the menu to the right that says “contains exact phrase.”
- Click on the “Search filters” menu to the right and choose “Holdings Information.”
- You may use the second and third “Search:” lines to limit your search.
- Click the Search button to view the results of your search. To view the full record for an item, click on the title.
*Media items from the library’s collection may never be used in any setting in which admission is charged or for any commercial purposes. Public performance rights differ significantly from digital rights, so please note that items for which the library has public performance rights may not include the ability to reformat or distribute electronically. Duplication is also prohibited.