Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Residents who enjoy streaming movies have a new free option to add to their suite of subscriptions. The Jefferson County R. J. Bailar Public Library now provides cardholders with access to Kanopy, which offers critically-acclaimed movies, inspiring documentaries, award-winning foreign films and more.
Kanopy aims to be a video-streaming platform dedicated to thoughtful and thought-provoking films. It was founded in 2008 “to provide academic institutions with essential films that foster learning and conversation.” In 2016, public libraries gained access to Kanopy, and the service now delivers a more than 30,000 enriching films in a wide range of genres appealing to diverse audiences. Their mission is “to ensure that everyone has access to enriching films that bridge cultural boundaries, spark discussion and expand worldviews.”
To sign up for the service, library cardholders can follow these simple steps:
1. Use an internet browser to go to the library's website at jcpl.wildernesscoast.org.
2. Click on the Kanopy (Video) tab on the main menu. On the Kanopy website, click the red button to “Add a Library Card.”
3. Type in your Jefferson County Public Library card number.
4. For the pin, use the last four digits of the same library card number.
5. Create your account by providing your name and email address.
6. Create a password for your account.
7. Begin enjoying movies!
For the month of February, a menu of films and documentaries for Black History Month tops the screen, followed by a groupings of Newly Added Movies, Newly Added Documentaries, Newly Added World Cinema, New & Noteworthy, Trending selections, Family Movies, Historical Dramas, Coming of Age Stories and the list goes on and on!
From the main Kanopy site you can “Go to Kanopy Kids,” which features a collection of films and TV series that inspire and inform, helping children develop social-emotional skills and reinforcing valuable learning topics, such as history, science and new languages.
The service is free because, just as libraries purchase books for their patrons to borrow, they also offer a variety of digital resources. Kanopy is able to provide its viewers with free access because the public library or university covers the associated costs, allowing patrons to watch without paying a subscription fee and with no advertisements.
Cardholders have a limited number of “credits” they can redeem each month at the main Kanopy site, while access to Kanopy Kids is unlimited.
For more information on local access to the Kanopy plaform, contact Wilderness Coast Public Libraries Central Administrator Courtney Whitaker at (850) 997-7400 or courtney@wildernesscoast.org.