Guides: Copyright in Library Streaming Services: Open and Public Streaming Sources

Purpose

The University Library does not subscribe to the streaming/video resources on this page but has provided the links to these video platforms that are in the public domain or have been made available for reuse and can likely be used for a variety of purposes.

Always check the rights statement associated with each site to make sure that you are abiding by the terms of use, which may include a specific format for the credit line.

The University Library is not responsible for costs, access, permissions, quality, accessibility, terms of service, usage limits, or privacy on third-party streaming services listed below. Open-access sources may change or include advertising without notice.

Explore Open Video Collection Websites

OneSearch does not search open access or public domain streaming sources, so you will need to visit them directly for the latest content.

Resource	Description
AdViews	A digital archive featuring thousands of vintage television commercials from the 1950s to the 1980s, provided by Duke University.
Al Jazeera Video	Offers broadcast footage released under various Creative Commons licenses through Al Jazeera's Creative Commons Repository.
American Archive of Public Broadcasting	A joint effort by the Library of Congress and GBH to preserve significant public television and radio programs from the past 60 years.
American Memory	Provides access to hundreds of early motion pictures from the Library of Congress.
Black Film Archive	An evolving archive celebrating historically and culturally significant Black cinema from 1915 to 1979, offering streaming access with cultural context.
British Pathé	A historical archive capturing life in Britain from 1890 to 2011 through film.
C-SPAN Video Library	Features all C-SPAN programs since 1987, meticulously indexed and cataloged for ease of access.
Civil Rights Digital Library	A rich collection of films, texts, images, and audio recordings related to the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s.
EVIA	A collaborative digital archive of ethnographic field video for scholarly and instructional use.
Folkstreams	Dedicated to preserving and showcasing documentary films about American folk culture.
Internet Archive	The Moving Image Archive offers access to nearly a quarter million films spanning various genres and time periods.
Media Burn	A collection of over 6,000 independent tapes reflecting cultural, political, and social realities from 1969 to the present.
National Film Board of Canada	Provides access to over 2,000 classic and newly released Canadian films.
Newsreels from the UCLA Film & Television Archive	Offers public access to the Hearst newsreel collection donated to UCLA, featuring historical footage.
OpenCulture	A free resource offering access to educational media, including films, documentaries, and lectures.
PBS Video	Features a wide range of public television programming available for free streaming.
Public Domain Movies	Provides free access to films that are no longer under copyright and available in the public domain.
SnagFilms	Offers a curated collection of independent films, documentaries, and original series.
TED Talks	Features thousands of thought-provoking talks from experts and innovators across a wide range of fields.
Top Documentary Films	A site dedicated to streaming free, high-quality documentary films.
Vimeo	A video-sharing platform specializing in user-generated content, independent films, and creative media.
WGBH Open Vault	Offers access to historically important public television and radio content from WGBH's archives.