Streaming Media Policy

Unlike many other resources within the library, streaming media is not owned perpetually when obtained by the library. Streaming media, rather, is licensed on a temporary basis from the vendor and access to each title will expire at the end of the licensed term. A new fee must be paid in order to license the media each subscription term.

SU Libraries incorporates three distinct platforms in order to provide an abundance of streaming media options to faculty and students. Each platform functions in different ways and requires separate licensing processes. This page outlines the different platforms and options for incorporating streaming media into the classroom.

Available Platforms

AVON

Academic Video Online (AVON) is currently the easiest and first choice method of obtaining streaming media available to the SU community. Paid for as a yearly subscription fee, this database contains over 79,000 films and clips which are all instantly available for viewing by both faculty and students. These films are also able to be incorporated into classrooms via permanent links. Searching this database can be done via collection, subject, or title. Simply find a title and click play! This makes AVON titles ideal for supplemental viewing, in-class viewing, and assigned viewing outside of class time.

Go to Academic Video Online

Swank Motion Pictures

Swank Motion Pictures provides the ability to license movies from major motion picture studios. The library purchases a certain number of “credits” each year and can select films to license with those credits. Due to the limited nature of the credits, only faculty members can request films to license through their liaisons. Credits are first come, first served and should be for films that are being assigned for viewing outside of the classroom. In-classroom viewing should instead utilize DVDs. Please allow for a delay between the request and the film becoming accessible as licensing period timeframes are not always immediate.

Go to Swank Motion Pictures

Kanopy

Kanopy offers a wide range of titles (usually documentary style) that are licensed on an individual basis. Most films are $150 per title per year. Due to this cost, our resources need to be managed carefully for this platform. Students are unable to request films to be licensed. Faculty members should request films through their liaisons. Kanopy funds are available first come, first served, and these licenses should only be utilized when the film is assigned as required viewing for all students outside of class time. In addition to this, faculty should attempt to meet their streaming media needs with the other platforms first if at all possible.

Go to Kanopy

Streaming Media Policy FAQs

The following limitations as discussed in the FAQ section apply to Kanopy and Swank exclusively. AVON, or Academic Video Online, does not have restrictions on streaming and licensing as all of the films are pre-licensed and available to stream as part of an annual subscription. These limitations also do not apply to films available on free streaming platforms.

Streaming media on Kanopy and Swank are considerably more expensive than a DVD or Blu-Ray. They cost about $150 per title for the library to license for a single year. In instances where the film is planned for a single “use” only, such as in-class use, it makes more sense fiscally for the library to purchase a DVD or Blu-Ray to meet this need. In this manner, there is more of the overall budget left available for instances in which the film will be assigned for multiple viewings.

For in-class viewings, the library can purchase a physical copy of the film that will be perpetually owned and can lend DVD or Blu-Ray players to those who need them.

In this scenario the film is being assigned for outside of class use and is acceptable to request.

If you are assigning all episodes of the multi-part series to be viewed outside of class then it is acceptable to request these. Otherwise, please request only the episodes you plan to assign for outside of classroom viewing. Each episode within the multi-part series costs the same as a full film ($150) so it is important to only license episodes that will be utilized in alignment with the streaming media policies. Often, the library can purchase physical copies of multi-part series as well so in-class showing needs can be met.

Licensed films should be part of the assigned curriculum for the students rather than as a set of choices or as extra credit. The library can purchase physical copies of films for this need.

Funds for streaming media are set aside separately from the general book budget within the library and shared between all departments. The book budget remains unchanged.

For FY2026 our Kanopy funds can support approximately 54 films, and our Swank credits can support 25 films.

Each streaming media platform has an administration portal where reports can be generated. SU collects reports on a title-by-title basis which show the number of plays and the number of minutes watched for each licensed title. These data points help determine which films are making the most impact for our Faculty and Students.

Please contact your liaison if you have any concerns or questions about a particular streaming media need.