Last year, Simmons was facing a number of issues that were making it increasingly difficult to deliver movies and other recorded media to our community: the previous broadcast system, which was cumbersome for faculty and students, was on its way out, VHS technology had become almost completely obsolete, and physical media like DVDs did not meet the needs of our online courses. Rather than trying to address these issues one at a time, the library staff partnered with Technology to determine how Simmons could meet the needs of our community by taking advantage of current media streaming technology.

From there, the library staff formed a working group to explore alternatives, test various products, and make recommendations for acquiring and implementing an appropriate solution. The team was led by Jennifer Ferguson and included Anne Croak, Paul Engelberg, and Justin Snow. Together, they put into action a mix of tools that tackled the issue of media obsolescence and created a long-term strategy for digital media distribution at Simmons.

In the end, the working group chose to provide access to streaming media by acquiring two significant collections of documentaries as well as investing in a platform for streaming feature films. These tools offer several advantages, including easier access to course reserves, expanded film catalogs for faculty to use in the classroom, access to media without trips to the library, and additional options for using media in blended and fully online classes. Thousands of documentaries and feature films are now available and, by the end of 2012, the library will be able to provide access to more than 20,000 streaming documentaries that can be viewed online at any time.

Simmons faculty and students are encouraged to explore the titles available by searching the library catalog or by using the library’s guide to finding media, where you can explore documentaries and feature films.