Skip to Main Content
The University of Massachusetts Amherst
Libraries Ask Us

Streaming Media Resources

this is a guide to audio and video services available from the library and on demand, including both licensed and free resources.

Can't Find What You Need?

How to Locate Media in the Library Catalog

Our collection includes more than:

  • 4,000 DVDs
  • 4,000 videotapes
  • 700 16 mm films
  • 8,000 Audio CDs (music and spoken word)
  • 15,000 LPs (vinyl albums)

All these materials may be requested at the service desk on the 3rd floor of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library. They are arranged by their accession number (used for a call number) so you will need to ask for it by that number. Equipment for viewing and listening is available in a room next to the service desk.

The easiest way to locate films and documentaries owned on DVD or videotape by the University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries is to use the online catalog and limit the search by clicking on the More tab and then selecting UMass DVDs/Videos/Films. 

You have a variety of search options, such as keyword, and/or words in title. Foreign films that have been released in the US will be searchable by the original title and the US release title.

You may also search by actor using the author field. In some cases, foreign actors are known by their real names rather than their Americanized names. Take Jackie Chan, for example.

If you search for author : chan, jackie

The catalog will take you to a "see reference" that says See Chen, Long, 1954-

Click on that and you will get a list of all the films we have starring Jackie Chan.

It is also possible to do an Advanced search to do a single search using a several criteria like words in the subject field, genre, language and location. For example, 

Subject keywords: Cambodia

Genre: Documentary

Format: DVD, Videotapes, Films

will retrieve any documentary on the subject of Cambodia in Five College Libraries.

Borrowing DVDs/Tapes

According to a Five College agreement, almost all DVDs and many videotapes held by the Five Colleges may be checked out by faculty and students for up to 5 days with a 3 item limit. You may use the online Request Item button in the library catalog to request materials held by any of the Five Colleges.

You will be notified by e-mail when the item you requested through the library catalog (whether from the other colleges or UMass) will be available for pick-up at the Circulation/Reserve Desk on the Lower Level of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library.