The Bentley Library maintains a physical DVD collection in order to support the curricular needs of the Bentley community. Some films are not available to acquire in a streaming format and our DVD collection can help to still make that content available to students. DVDs can be borrowed to show films in class and/or can be placed on Course Reserve for viewing.
The Bentley Library has five external DVD/CD drives that can be borrowed and connected to a laptop or monitor with a USB cable (provided) to watch or listen to physical media. The drives can be borrowed from the Library Services desk with a Bentley ID for either 4 hours or 7 days. There are also DVD players in the Bowles Room on the lower level of the library for viewing. So, if you assign a film that we have on DVD - please spread the word and let students know that there is equipment available to help them view the film!
The Bentley Library provides the following platforms which include streaming video resources. See the descriptions below each to learn more about the type of content included in these collections. We can help place links directly to streaming films (when such links are available) in your course Brightspace site using our Course Reserves service so that they are configured correctly for ease of access or add in access directions to the material when direct linking is unavailable.
For more information about these collections, including some tips as to getting started using these collections, see our Streaming Films guide.
We subscribe to the majority of content available on the following platforms. However, think of these platforms like Netflix - while we subscribe to the package, we have no control as to when content arrives or leaves. The content on these platforms is relatively stable in availability, but we always recommend checking on specific items you'd like to use at the beginning of the semester to make sure they are still available.
O'Reilly Online Learning offers books, audiobooks, videos, and interactive tutorials on in-demand technology and business topics. Exclusive conference content and case studies from leading organizations are also included.
Titles on the following platforms are licensed by the Bentley Library on a title by title basis for a period of time (usually one year terms). Please reach out to Matt Van Sleet (mvansleet@bentley.edu) if you intend to assign a film on this platform or if you would like to check how long a title will be available.
It's important to note that personal streaming services like Netflix*, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, or Hulu were not designed for classroom use. They are meant for private, non-commercial use for entertainment purposes and institutional subscriptions to these services are not available.
While there may be arguments that showing content from these services in the classroom for educational purposes could fall under Fair Use and therefore be an exemption to copyright law, using these services in the classroom may not be permissible under the licensing agreement the user enters when signing up for the service. Make sure to read the Terms of Use agreement to understand what you can/cannot do with the service.
*Netflix has allowed permission for some in-person class showings of educational documentaries for users who have a personal account for the service. Details and directions on how to locate a list of these titles is available on Netflix Help Center's Educational Screenings of Documentaries page. However, Netflix has made some of these titles available for free on YouTube for educational use. The available titles have been compiled into the Educational Documentaries playlist on Netflix's YouTube channel.
Freely-available videos from streaming platforms such as YouTube, Vudu, and Tubi may remove content at any time without providing notice to users. Furthermore, videos hosted on YouTube and other user-driven streaming platforms may have been uploaded outside of copyright compliance so proceed with caution. Check to see if it's an official YouTube channel connected with the official producer or publisher of the content.
Here are some additional collections that you may want to check out:
While Zoom and other meeting applications allow for screen sharing video, it's important to consider any licensing restrictions and copyright law when showing video in the classroom.
If you record your classes in these meetings, it is best practice to stop recording when showing films or clips. By recording your screen while a video is playing, this is creating a copy of the content which is not permitted under copyright.
We encourage faculty to use material found in our streaming film collections listed on this page. Students also have access to these collections with their Bentley email address and password.
Films from Kanopy or Swank Digital Campus cannot be shown via screen share in a Zoom classroom. Technology has been applied to block these films from being displayed on viewer screens. In these instances, we recommend making the links to the films in the databases available in Brightspace so students can watch on their own devices.
The Bentley Library welcomes suggestions for purchase from faculty for materials for curricular use that can support their teaching in the classroom.
Faculty can reach out to their department's liaison librarian directly or use the Suggest a Purchase form on the library website to submit requests. When placing a request, please let us know if you have a preference of format (DVD or Streaming).
We will do our due diligence to locate the availability of the title and do our best to acquire a film in the preferred format if possible, budget permitting.
Streaming films are purchased twice a year (July and December) on a first-come, first-served basis until the semester's budget is expended. It currently costs between $120 and $200 to license one film for one year from either of the vendors of our mediated collections, Kanopy or Swank Digital Campus.
More information and detail can be found in our Bentley Library Streaming Film Request Policy. If you have any questions about using streaming films in your curriculum, contact Matt Van Sleet (mvansleet@bentley.edu).
There are a number of factors that may impact our ability to acquire a particular piece of media for the collection. Here are some of the most common reasons:
There could be a couple of different reasons why the film is no longer available. For films that were part of collections such as those in Academic Video Online or Films on Demand, it could be that the database no longer offers the content as they no longer have a license to make that content available.
If the film was previously available on Kanopy or Swank Digital Campus, it could be that the license has expired. Films offered on these platforms usually have a 1-3 year license available. Contact Matt Van Sleet (mvansleet@bentley.edu) for assistance.