In December 2019, Blough-Weis Library moved to a mediated access model for streaming films through Kanopy. This new model will still allow members of the Susquehanna community to browse the entire Kanopy collection but will now require a request to be submitted before a film is viewable. This will give the library an opportunity to review all purchase requests before they happen.
Why did we make this change? Kanopy’s standard business model is called a Patron Driven Acquisition (PDA) model. This means that when any film is viewed four times, we pay Kanopy for a one-year, $150 license. This model has become unsustainable because of the swift increase in the platform’s popularity and the unpredictable costs that result.
The following changes will take place under the new, mediated access model:
- A film licensing request form will need to be submitted before any film is viewable. The form will be located on each film’s preview page and will go directly to the library when you click “Request Access”.
- Film licensing requests will only be approved for course-related content or faculty research. Non-course related films can be requested via other platforms or formats.
- Before approval, we will verify the film is not available in any of our other streaming resources.
- If it’s not necessary to stream a film, the library will purchase a DVD copy instead. Please provide enough advanced notice for us to purchase a DVD copy and have it shipped to campus.
Please note that all currently licensed Kanopy films will still be available for immediate, simultaneous viewing. The license request form will only be viewable for films that have not been licensed.
We are happy to answer any questions or hear any concerns you may have with this new model. Please contact Ryan Ake, the Collection Development Librarian, at ake@susqu.edu or 570-372-4324.
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