Streaming Video Reserve is a service of the ASU Library to digitize video content from a physical format (such as a DVD) to a streaming format for use in online courses. Instructors may request that the library digitize content in support of their courses.
Requests should be submitted using the Course Streaming Request.
Requests that may qualify
- Videos that ASU Library owns AND are not available through our other streaming media platforms (i.e., Kanopy or Films on Demand) or through third party streaming services such as Netflix, AND
- Items that are required viewing for the course, AND
- Requests that fall within the realm of Fair Use.
Fair Use evaluation
To be digitized for Streaming Video Reserve, requests must fall within the realm of Fair Use and be evaluated under these four factors:
- The purpose of the use: the video should be required for the course to fulfill a specific learning objective.
- The nature of the work: documentaries are more easily justified than feature films.
- Amount used: only request the amount needed to fulfill the specific educational purpose. Digitizing an entire film is difficult to justify without a demonstrated need.
- Effect of the use on the market: we cannot digitize content that is easily available on for profit streaming platforms such as Netflix, nor content that is widely available for purchase as a DVD.
Additional considerations
The Streaming Video Reserve Request form asks instructors to document learning objectives to help demonstrate that their use would likely be fair. ASU Library will request additional information if needed, or will deny requests that do not meet these requirements. For more information, see the Using Videos for Teaching Tutorial.
Streaming Video Reserve links will expire at the end of each semester. Instructors must submit a new request for each semester the video is needed. Availability of streaming videos changes over time (i.e. a streaming license for a film may become available when it wasn’t previously), prompting a new Fair Use evaluation each semester.
Closed captioning will be provided for all titles streamed by the Library.
Requests that do not qualify
- VHS tapes
- Personal copies
- Videos from other libraries or rental sources
- International videos in PAL, SECAM or other DVD regions
- Blu-Ray or other video formats
For questions regarding this service, please contact Ask a Librarian.