LibGuides: Undergraduate Research: Finding Multimedia

About Finding Multimedia

Utilizing video, images, or even sounds might be relevant to your capstone project whether for inclusion in your bibliography if appropriate or in your presentations. We have compiled a list of sources that you might find helpful to search.

Video Sources

Below are databases provided by Bentley Library. You will have to sign in with your Bentley credentials if you are attempting to access them from off campus:

Films on Demand This link opens in a new window
Films on Demand is a digital, streaming video service which offers thousands of educational films on Humanities & Social Science, Business & Economy, Science & Mathematics, and Health topics. Films on Demand also offers special collections by well known, respected media outlets such as Frontline, CNBC Specials, the Biography Channel, and PBS NewsHour.
Kanopy This link opens in a new window
Kanopy provides streaming access to documentaries and feature films that support the Bentley curriculum.
Swank Digital Campus This link opens in a new window
Swank Digital Campus streams a mix of classic and contemporary feature films that support the Bentley curriculum. Windows users: use the latest versions of Chrome or Firefox. Mac users: use the latest version of Firefox. If prompted, install the Google Widevine Optimizer. (If using Internet Explorer 32-bit, install both Flash and Google Widevine Optimizer at the prompt.)
Academic Video Online This link opens in a new window
Academic Video Online is curated for an academic audience and contains a wide range of US and international films on subjects including business, counseling, history, language learning, music, and more. Formats include plays, documentaries, feature films, and US government content from major distributors including CNN, BBC, Dow Jones, and Sony Pictures Classics. Users can create film clips and view transcripts.

The following sources are freely available on the web:

Archive.org: Moving Image Archive
Collection of free movies, films, and other videos. The Moving Image Archive has a wide variety of clips and footage that include news broadcasts, concerts, cartoons, and more.
YouTube
Use clips from YouTube with caution, since copyrighted material is regularly removed.

Image Sources

Google Image Search
Search Google for images by keyword. You can use the "Tools" option on the search results page to utilize more options such as searching by usage rights, size, color, etc.
Flickr
Photo sharing website where users can make their photos available. Please note, not all photos are freely available and may have copyright restrictions. See the usage rights on the individual photo.
Archive.org: Images
Collection of images, many free to use and download, made available by Archive.org users. Can search by topics/subjects, collections, and more.
Artstor (Public Collections)
While Bentley Library does not subscribe to Artstor, certain image collections from various universities, museums, and more are made available to search for free. Search here for images on a variety of topics including archives images, theater performance images, and more.
Smithsonian Open Access
The Smithsonian Institution's Open Access search allows users to search across millions of images from across the collections of the Smithsonian's museums, archives, libraries, and the National Zoo. These images can be downloaded, shared, and reused.

Search Both!

Europeana
Europeana provides access to digitized works from libraries, museums, and archives from across Europe.
Digital Public Library of America (DPLA)
DPLA connects users to digitized items from libraries, museums, educational institutions, and archives from across the United States. A variety of topics and historical events are covered in the collections.
Wikimedia Commons
Part of Wikimedia, Wikimedia Commons provides a searchable collection of media files that are free to use.