Who needs Netflix?
Well, Kanopy isn't necessarily going to replace a Netflix subscription — the second season of "Stranger Things" isn't going to watch itself. But there's a new way to stream a treasure trove of films, and all you need is a Philadelphia library card.
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Kanopy is a film-streaming service that has a library (accidental bad pun!) of 30,000 movies. As of Nov. 1, you have access to that library as a cardholder with the Free Library of Philadelphia. (A tip of the hat to BillyPenn for first writing about it today.)
According to a press release, Kanopy's catalog includes "popular movies, film classics, award-winning documentaries, and independent films, and more." Below are some notable films – in my own humble opinion – offered by Kanopy:
• "Donnie Darko" (I wanted to watch this a few nights ago in anticipation of Halloween, and was surprised not to find it on any major streaming services)
• "The Girl on the Train"
• "Boondock Saints"
• "Small Town Murder Songs" (Had no idea what this was before looking at Kanopy's catalog, but the trailer looks intriguing)
As part of the partnership with Kanopy, which primarily serves libraries and universities, the Free Library also will allow cardholders access to Hoopla, an app that features digital movies, music, eBooks and other videos.
Note that access to Kanopy and Hoopla isn't unlimited for cardholders. You'll be able to "check out" a total of four items from both apps per month, meaning eight items total.
In order to access these new options, you'll have to go to the websites for Kanopy and Hoopla and use your library card and accompanying PIN number. Still don't have a library card? Steps on how to do that can be found here.