Library Services for Faculty

Any of our films can be used for class showings

• Please check a film’s availability at least 2 weeks before you plan to use it. Otherwise the film may be checked out or loaned to another library.
• As with other reserve items, you can send a list to your liaison or bring your films to the circulation desk and fill out a reserve slip.
• When placing a film on reserve, please provide a show date or copy of your syllabus with show dates to the circulation staff so that we can insure the film is available when needed
• Personal films can be put on reserve, but keep in mind that you may see a high level of wear.

Campus Wide or Public Showings

• The library will not purchase films if they will not be used by classes.  If they are only for a campus wide or public showing, then funds for purchase or licensing need to come from other sources such as the Lectures & Concerts committee funds. 
• If you want to do a campus wide or public showing of a film we already own, this can only be done with films purchased with pubic performance rights (PPR).
  • Not all films are available with PPR; usually PPR is only available for documentaries. Feature Films have to be licensed for a single showing through an agent for campus wide or public showings. 
• We are in the process of indicating in the catalog which of our films have PPR in the catalog, but this project is not yet complete.  All recently purchased films indicate this, but not all older films
  • If the library catalog does not indicate if PPR is included in a film, contact your liaison if you want to know if a particular film comes with PPR.
• When ordering a film, if you want us to purchase it with PPR, please indicate that on the order request. This is option is only available for some films.

The library has several databases of films that can be shown in class. You can browse these by going to our A-Z Databases & E-resources page and selecting Films from the Types dropdown menu.

For class showings or use by multiple students

Films to be shown in to a class must be purchased or leased by the library:

• Create a purchase request for the film.
• Please send orders at least 2 weeks before you need them.
• If you have questions about films, send these to your liaison.

Interlibrary loan (ILL) is not a suitable method.

• ILL is meant to provide patrons with individual research sources that their own library does not have.
• ILL is not meant to substitute for an institution buying curricular materials and cannot be used to supply resources to a whole class.
• Also ILL doesn’t work for many films – most libraries will not lend films, and you can’t schedule an arrival date or loan period.
• ILL is not free to Knox, only to you.  Borrowing films usually incurs substantial lending fees and postage costs.  So, we'd rather spend $25 to own a film than $20 to borrow it.
• ILL items cannot be put on reserve.

If an item is not available for purchase or rental, then ILL can be used as a last resort.  However, with ILL you cannot set an arrival date or length of loan, so you must be flexible.  

For Individual faculty use for research, preview or course prep

Please see our collection development policies page, as this is where the most updated information will be.

Film Purchasing Checklist

This list will provide guidance for determining if we purchase physical inventory (DVD or Bluray) or streaming video for courses. There are a series of questions that will help you to determine what format to request.

1. Is the item only available in one format? 
   1. Yes - purchase that format
   2. No - go to question 2
2. Will the video be shown in a public performance (outside the classroom)?
   1. Yes - format purchased will need to include Public Performance Rights
   2. No - continue to question 3
3. Will the video be shown in subsequent years?
   1. Yes - Purchase the format that allows use for life of that format.
   2. No - continue to question 4
4. What is the cost of the physical format vs the streaming format?
   1. Similar in price - Purchase the format preferred by the faculty.
   2. Large price gap - continue to question 5
5. Will the video be shown in class, or will students need to view on their own?
   1. In Class - purchase the most affordable format, if the format is DVD or Bluray, make sure the classroom has access to that technology
   2. On their own - consider if the budget will permit the additional cost of streaming.
      1. How many videos are needed for the class?
6. Good Stewardship
   1. How can we keep costs as low as possible while still getting students what they need?
   2. How can we reduce our streaming video costs to cover individual streaming leases?