Berkeley Public Library Now Offers Premium Online Film Service

Great movies, documentaries, indie film available to all library patrons  

 

(Berkeley, California) – September 18, 2017 – Berkeley Public Library is pleased to announce the launch of a new streaming video service, Kanopy, to our digital collection. 

 

All library card holders can now watch popular films and documentaries anytime by visiting http://cityofberkeley.kanopystreaming.com

 

Kanopy is a video streaming platform for libraries with one of the largest and most unique collections in the world. It features more than 26,000 movies, documentaries, and indie and foreign films from hundreds of producers including The Criterion Collection, The Great Courses, Kino Lorber, PBS, and thousands of independent filmmakers.

 

The collection includes indie hits like 2 Days in Paris, classic masterpieces like Day of the Dead and Bicycle Thieves, and award-winning documentaries like I Am Not Your Negro. 

 

Kanopy’s motto is "thoughtful entertainment" - seeking to provide library patrons with access to films of unique social and cultural, not just entertainment, value; films that are often difficult or impossible to access elsewhere. 

 

Kanopy is also committed to diversity, with an amazing array of foreign language films and films on race, LGBT and other engaging and relevant topics. Kanopy’s films are also compatible for the hearing (with captions and transcripts) and visually impaired (compatible with technologies such as JAWS).

 

Berkeley Public Library is excited to launch Kanopy as part of its commitment to enhance access to the kind of films Berkeley residents seek out.

 

“In June, the Library performed a collections survey asking patrons what they wanted. We heard from the 4,200 respondents a loud and clear interest in expanded access to high quality films,” says Collection Development Coordinator Rosie Merlin. “We think Kanopy is a service many Berkeley residents will appreciate and enjoy.”

 

The new Kanopy service is free for users with a Berkeley Public Library card. Each Library user can stream up to seven films per month on the Kanopy service. To get started,visit http://cityofberkeley.kanopystreaming.com.

 

 

Kanopy is the premier on-demand streaming video service for public and academic libraries that provides millions of users globally with access to a unique collection of over 26,000 films. Kanopy works directly with thousands of filmmakers and film distribution companies to offer award-winning collections including The Criterion Collection, The Great Courses, PBS, Media Education Foundation and more. Kanopy is headquartered in San Francisco, California. www.kanopy.com

 

 

Rosie Merlin

Berkeley Public Library

510-981-6144

 

Vanessa Latin

Kanopy

415-513-1026 

 

 

###