Streaming Media Purchasing Policy

Updates:

01/31/2024 (adopted new policy)

Purpose

NIU Libraries strives to support the purchase of streaming media for the University’s curricular needs. The University Libraries provide streaming media access through a variety of platforms including: Kanopy, Swank, Alexander Street Press, and DocuSeek.

In order to responsibly manage the financial and human resource costs of making streaming media available for courses*, the Libraries have implemented requirements and guidelines for requesting the purchase of streaming media titles.

Policy Narrative

• Streaming media purchases must be titles required for all students to view as part of their coursework. We cannot provide licenses for optional or extra credit assignments.
• Instructors must make streaming media requests. We will not purchase titles at the request of any students. If you have used a streaming media resource in previous semesters, please check with the Acquisitions Unit at LibKanopy@niu.edu to see if it is still available and for what period of time.
• If a requested title is freely available online with closed captions included, we will deny the request and share the URL to the free resource. If a free resource only contains auto-generated captions, which are not sufficient according to The Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, we will not recommend the title’s free option and instead purchase the institutional license.
• You must request streaming media titles each year if it will be used in your course again after the expiration date. We do not automatically renew licenses for any titles.
• Streaming media requests are purchased on a “first come, first served” basis until the annual budget is expended.
• Limit of 3 streaming titles per course, per year.**

Streaming media licensing is often significantly more expensive than purchasing a DVD.  Licensing a title for one to three years costs the Libraries on average $150-$400 per title. This is an annual cost because most streaming media platforms view access as a subscription and not a one-time perpetual purchase the library owns like DVDs. We recognize the utility of providing online access whenever and wherever students are studying. However, we must balance that service with fiscal prudence and accountability. The library has a limited budget to spend on materials, which creates constraints on what we are able to provide.

Please keep in mind:

• Streaming media purchases must be titles required for all students to view as part of their coursework. We cannot provide licenses for optional or extra credit assignments. We cannot provide licenses for instructors to review or vet the media.
• Upon expiration of a license, we will not automatically repurchase the title and it will no longer be visible in the library catalog, HuskieSearch.
• We can provide usage statistics if you would like to know how many people watched an assigned title. This may help inform your decision to request a streaming title again.
• Your Library Subject Specialist can help evaluate the variety of streaming media resources available for your courses including our extensive library in Academic Video Online (AVON).

* If you require a public performance license for your event, we will put you in contact with the sales representative at your chosen vendor to facilitate that purchase via the department hosting the event. The University Libraries only cover the cost of streaming video licensing for courses and events requiring a standard streaming license.

** Exceptions can be made and should be submitted to the Associate Dean of Collections Management and your Subject Specialist Librarian.