Communication & Media Studies: Finding Films

Streaming video quality is affected by copyright restrictions, bandwidth capacity, Zoom/Google meeting settings, and personal computer configurations. Many problems have been reported with online synchronous in-class viewing.

Librarians recommend:

• Ask students to view the film or film segments independently, with separate authentication, in a dedicated window with Zoom audio muted. (Please follow the browser recommendations in the database descriptions.)
• Provide a time for the students to return to the main Zoom class meeting for discussion after the segments have been viewed independently.
• Some professors prefer that students watch the piece in its entirety before the start of class and then share a link to a short segment during the class for a second viewing.
• Most streaming video platforms provide persistent links to share content with students via email, chat, or syllabi. Share using the database-provided link-generating tools, not by copying and pasting a URL from your browser's address bar.
• Do not embed links or code in Blackboard to avoid remote authentication issues. Rather, share the database-generated links via email, chat, or syllabi.

Reference librarians & staff are available to assist with your planning process. Please email your subject liaisons for help as you prepare for your class.

For technical support with Zoom or Google Meet, please reach out to IT Customer Care at: 718-817-3999 OR helpIT@fordham.edu OR the Tech Help tab in my.fordham.edu

Quick Search #1 - Fordham Catalog

This is the Traditional Fordham Library Catalog.  Use this option to search the catalog for ALL items owned by Fordham (all campuses). Includes books, ebooks, periodicals, government documents, videos & dvds, maps, etc.

To find a film, click on Advanced Search, use the drop down box for TYPE to select Video Material (DVD, VHS, ect.). Then use the keyword, title, subject, or author boxes to search for your item.

Quick Search #2 - OneSearch Discovery

The OneSearch includes the Fordham Library Catalog, most of the databases, the Institutional Repository, and our Digital Collections. When you search using OneSearch, you will find books, articles, images, graphs, charts, and more.

To find a film, enter title, creative artist, or topic in the box below. Then use the side tool bar in the Results List to Limit By Source Types (you may need to click on "Show More"), Videos.