HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!

Kanopy’s CEO Olivia Humphrey just announced that the New York, Queens and Brooklyn Public Libraries have decided to discontinue Kanopy’s film streaming service to its patrons, effective July 1, 2019.

Kanopy offers students like me access to over 19,000 films from The Criterion Collection and The Great Courses to Frederick Wiseman documentaries and award-winning favourites like MOONLIGHT, LADYBIRD and I AM NOT A NEGRO. Anyone with a library card from the New York, Queens or Brooklyn Public Libraries can signup for free and watch these films. 

The recent announcement has left the student fraternity feeling neglected and many of us are left wondering how the libraries will now give us access to world cinema in the comfort of our homes. The library has said that it made this decision because the cost of Kanopy makes it unsustainable to continue providing the service.

I urge NYPL and Kanopy to work out a revenue system that generates resources to help strengthen the collaboration and bring libraries in New York closer to achieving its goal of bridging cultural boundaries and bringing people together through films.

This petition calls on the New York Public Library Board of Trustees and New York State Education Department to continue providing its patrons with free access to world films on Kanopy and to not discontinue the service in July!

Thank you.

 

Cover Image: "New York Public Library" by .the.dude. is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0