As an instruction librarian, I often have the opportunity to talk to students about what the library has to offer. And as many times as I've told people about our awesome DVD collection, I keep hearing the same thing: nobody really watches DVDs anymore.
Well, we're listening! The library has just added an exciting new resource to our collection: Kanopy streaming video. Kanopy offers tons of video content, from HBO, BBC, and PBS documentaries, to popular films, to classic cinema. It's great for learning, but also great for simply unwinding. There's something for everybody.
The first time you access Kanopy, you will need to sign up for an account. Here are the steps:
Once you're signed up, it should be as easy to use as any of the other streaming services you may have experience with. It offers apps for a number of platforms, including Apple (iOS/TV), Android, Amazon Fire TV, and more. You can also just watch videos in your browser.
No! The library seeks to support the MSOE community both in and out of the learning environment. While it does contain lots of great educational content, you can also use Kanopy just to find something to watch for fun. (That being said, if you are an MSOE professor and you want to use some Kanopy content in one of your courses, reach out to a librarian for help linking to these resources in your Canvas class!)
Not sure where to start? Here are a few things I'm excited to watch:
Howard Zinn: A People's History of the United States
"With the tremendous success of his book, A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn radically changed the way Americans see themselves. His friend Noam Chomsky says that Zinn literally transformed a generation’s conscience. Zinn talks about those who have no voice in the official History : Slaves, Indians, deserters, textile workers, union men. Between 1900 and 1920, more than 14 million immigrants arrived in the United States. They came fleeing poverty or war, racism or religious persecution. They dreamed of a promised land, of wealth, or simply of a better life. The New World opened its arms wide to the poor and huddled masses of the Old : its unwanted, its fugitives, and even a few utopians…After all, the rapidly expanding industries of the time required cheap labor, and immigrant workers - men, women and children - were easy to exploit. But the same period also saw the birth of organized labor, with its strikes and conflicts, and the appearance of great figures like Emma Goldman, Mother Jones, Eugene Debs and the Wobblies."
Ronit (Rachel Weisz) returns to the Orthodox Jewish community that shunned her decades earlier for an attraction to a childhood friend Esti (Rachel McAdams). Once reunited, their passions reignite as they explore the boundaries of faith and sexuality.
Winner of Best Supporting Actor (Alessandro Nivola) and nominated for Best British Independent Film at the British Independent Film Awards. Official Selection at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival.
Acclaimed filmmaker Lars von Trier grapples with his own experiences with depression to this dark sci-fi drama and Palme d'Or nominee. Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) celebrate their marriage at a sumptuous party in the home of Justine’s sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and brother-in-law John (Kiefer Sutherland). Despite Claire’s best efforts, the wedding is a fiasco, with family tensions mounting and relationships fraying. Meanwhile, a planet called Melancholia is heading directly towards Earth, threatening the very existence of humankind.
Nominated for the Palme d'Or and winner of Best Actress (Kirsten Dunst) at the Cannes Film Festival. Second Place Winner for Best Film and Best Director in the Indiewire Critics' Poll. Nominated for Best Foreign Film at the César Awards.
Let us know what films you find on Kanopy! And, as always, reach out if you have any questions/trouble using the platform -- we're always happy to help.
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