Streaming Media

Films and other media are a valuable resource for many courses. UTSA Libraries is your streaming media partner. We have a robust collection of licensed films that are ready to use. As you plan your course, remember that your Subject Librarian can assist you in locating streaming films in UTSA databases and elsewhere. 

Use Blackboard's Library Reading List Tool to add videos to course reading lists. Since content in streaming databases changes frequently, this allows the library to verify continued access before you need to use it. Please submit your streaming media requests as far in advance as possible; licensing takes time. Be sure to indicate if one, or multiple, semester access is needed, so the library can license the film for the duration of your course.

Email libreserve@utsa.edu if you have any questions or to request new videos for future courses.

To access streaming databases from off campus, you will need to log in with your UTSA abc123 / passphrase.

We strive to accommodate all requests, but cannot license every film. Some points for you to be aware of:

• Not all video content may be available in a streaming format 
• Films that are available for individual rental on popular platforms may not be available for libraries to license 
• Most films can only be licensed to stream for limited periods of time 
• It may be prohibitively expensive for the library to license a film in streaming format 
• In some instances, it may be best for you to ask students to purchase pay-per-view options from one of the popular streaming platforms (e.g., Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu)

If you would like to inquire about options for digitizing a VHS or DVD, use Canvas's Library Reading List Tool. 

Due to copyright restrictions, we are not able to simply digitize entire VHS tapes or DVDs in the library collections or owned by faculty. Each request has to be examined individually, based on the amount of content to be digitized, copyright ownership, available permissions, and fair use analysis.

The library also has a large collection of streaming video databases that could possibly meet your needs. Before considering digitizing a VHS or DVD, in whole or in part, we will check to see if we can purchase or license the film from one of our many subscriptions.

You can also reach out to your Subject Librarian with questions, or email Library Course Reserves at libreserve@utsa.edu