Because of all the inevitable “fourscore” jokes today, you may be aware that November 19, 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. Abraham Lincoln’s address at the Gettysburg memorial at the height of the Civil War is among the most significant and quotable (and shortest) in American history. But despite its immense historical […]
Continue readingCategory Archives: Streaming Video
Aargh crickets!
Aaaarrrggh! A family of crickets has taken up residence outside the emergency door in Media Services, and you can hear them everywhere. Normally we would’ve tried to clear them out, but because the pathway outside the library is currently under construction, we can’t get to them. We, for one, welcome our new insect overlords! Lest […]
Continue readingHave $35,000 to spend? The ultimate streaming device awaits
With the rise of the Roku, Xbox, and Chromecast, streaming devices have become one of the most popular ways to consume media. Nearly every major movie eventually ends up on Netflix, Amazon, or iTunes. It has become easier than ever to watch any movie at any time, but you have to wait. New releases still […]
Continue readingBradley Manning documentary streaming via library
Given the recent controversy surrounding the Bradley Manning trial verdict, it seems appropriate to link to The Forgotten Man, a streaming documentary about Manning’s story and his role in the Wikileaks scandal. The 43-minute video is an excellent primer for those wishing to learn about the Manning case. The video is viewable through the ALADIN […]
Continue readingWould you stream your own DVDs? UltraViolet thinks so
As we continue to grow our streaming video collection, the world of digital media continues to evolve. Video service UltraViolet took a bold new step in that direction today by opening a first-ever DVD-to-digital copy program. That sounds crazy – how can they put every DVD in the cloud? – but it makes more sense […]
Continue readingWe love our streaming videos, and you should too
The American Library University has been slowly building up its streaming video collections, as mentioned in previous posts highlighting Silent Film Online, Films on Demand, the Internet Archive, and other collections from Alexander Street Press. We’ve been slowly accumulating more streaming video resources from across the web and through new databases, and we’ve finally hit […]
Continue readingWatch Academy Award-winning short films right now
The 85th Academy Awards kick off one week from tonight. We’ll have plenty of lists of past winners and nominees in the coming weeks, but for now, let’s direct attention to the lesser-heralded short film catagories. Since 1932, the Academy has honored short films in a number of categories, including documentaries and animation. Though they […]
Continue readingToday’s film oddity: The Kidnappers Foil
Here’s a piece of film history so unusual that it must be shared. For forty years, con artist and filmmaker Melton Barker traveled across the United States, roping in small towns to produce a short film titled The Kidnappers Foil that would star local children and premiere in a local theater. As you could imagine, […]
Continue readingBlu-rays are growing, but is it enough for physical media?
It’s no secret that many movie studios rely on DVD sales to make films profitable. Some smaller companies with a direct-to-video model rely exclusively on them. Despite Hollywood seeing record box office returns this year, Bloomberg reports that DVD sales are noticeably declining. High-definition Blu-rays are becoming more popular, but the total amount spent on […]
Continue readingSilent Film Online is free, substantial
Ends up that the lost Hitchcock isn’t the only silent film you can find online now. The American University Library now has a subscription to Silent Film Online, a database of streaming silent films. This isn’t a tiny collection: it has heavy hitters like Nosferatu, Battleship Potemkin, and Metropolis. If you’re an active member of […]
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