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Library Research Guides

Kanopy Streaming Media Database: Browsing &
Searching Titles

Important Notice

The Kanopy database is a dynamic resource that is updated regularly to improve usability. Screen shots are provided to give an overview. The interface you access may be slightly different from the images provided in this guide. In those cases, look for similar labels to achieve your desired goal.

Searching Kanopy

Enter your search term (either keyword or specific title) in the search box at the top of the homepage. 

screen shot kanopy search

Before you hit Enter, a short list of results will show up on your screen. You can select one of those titles or modify your search by Subject. You can see the entire results list by hitting enter or clicking on View All Results.

screen shot kanopy search results

After you choose View All Results, you will be able to narrow your search further by using filters on the left. You can change the sort option from Most Relevant to other options, including Most Popular and Most Recently Added. Other filters include Supplier, Closed Captioning, and Year of Production.

screen shot kanopy search filters

Browsing Collections

The Kanopy homepage allows you to browse featured collections including Popular Documentaries, The Criterion Collection, and more. Click on the section title to view all the films available in that collection.

Kanopy homepage

The Browse arrow to the right of the search box also allows you to browse by collection.

Kanopy browse feature

Requesting a Film not already owned in Kanopy

  1. From the library homepage
  2. Click on Research Databases
  3. On the left go to the bottom of the “Categories” and find “Video”
    1. Note: Please check that the film you are looking for is not already in Films on Demand FIRST
  4. Click on Kanopy
  5. You’ll get a “warning” screen about making an account, etc. Click “In the future, go directly to Kanopy”
  6. You’ll be taken to the District Single Sign on page. Log in with your W# and password (just like Canvas, etc.)
  7. Click the orange button “Log in to LosRios”
  8. It will say “Use your Los Rios Community College District Libraries login to connect with Kanopy” click the orange button “Log in to LosRios” (it make take a few second to load)
  9. Here you can do a search at the top.
  10. When you do a search the titles the library has already have purchased will show up FIRST Kanopy search
  11. Scolllllll down (it will be a bit of scrolling) until you see “videos you can request for your library” videos you can request for your library
  12. When you click on a title under that heading it will automatically take you to the request form Kanopy request form
  13. Please give as much detail as you can such as when you will be using the film (e.g. Fall 2020), which class you will be requiring it for, etc.

If we already own the film there will not be a request form when you click on the title. Please see the other tabs in this guide for how to embed your film in Kanopy, etc. 

If you do not see the film you are looking for under the “videos you can request for your library” heading, then it is likely that Kanopy does not have a license agreement with the production company/vendor. 

Requests will not monitored during inter-sessions and summer.