I have two library cards, one for Woodland California and one for Yolo County (Davis) California. Sadly neither of them are affiliated with hoopla or kanopy.
I am late to this thread but so glad we’re talking library services which are amazing.
A few things I have learned. Last time I streamed something on Hoopla it was standard definition. It was The A Word Season 2 (it left Hoopla before I got to Season 3). A little disappointing not seeing the Lake District in HD. However if you watch older stuff that’s less important. And watching on a laptop or iPad may make the picture seem okay.
Some other important points: the library doesn’t incur an expense unless you borrow from Hoopla. So make sure you’re definitely going to watch it. Because it’s expensive and you don’t want to cost the library and then not bother watching. Second, the borrow limits are on TV episodes. Yup that’s right. That means (for my library system), I can only borrow 10 episodes per month. So count on a slow binge. But like you said, this is a great fit for people who don’t watch a lot of TV but would like some things available. And it’s a nice supplemental for us TV nerds. Finally the Hoopla app on the Apple TV is … fine. It works. But I would recommend browsing on your phone etc and just watching on the TV.
I am definitely in for Hoopla/Kanopy deep dives. I’m in the Atlanta/Fulton County library system. It is excellent. We have all the main services and a robust digital library. It seems to be superior to NY (per the comments) which is crazy.
Yes Kanopy can be expensive, which as was noted above, why different libraries have different borrow limits. Fx, when I worked at UC Berkeley I had Kanopy thru them and the limit was different than from SF library. And the selection was different also.
Not unrelated, NY is currently cutting library and school budgets to funnel more money to NYPD. So extras like Kanopy are likely not coming back any time soon. At least until they get a mayor more sympathetic to schools and libraries.
Great info, Greg. Thanks for sharing. I’m still stunned by NY. And yeah I was told SFPL had a great selection on Kanopy but have no idea if that is true or how it compares to say Portland (or Berkeley or anywhere for that matter)
Keith I’m interested in (and will eventually find out) if having access through 2 libraries increases the Kanopy views (would seem to) and while that would benefit my Portland/SF split, I wonder what would stop anyone motivated to, say, join Berkeley AND SF etc.
I believe yes but you need to create 2 different logins. So 2 separate accounts for each library system. Maybe a pain but a nice option to get extra movies each month. You can do the same with Hoopla.
That's a good question. I helped my father and brother get SFPL cards, so now they've got both SJPL and SFPL. They use them for books via Libby, and they've said the SFPL selection is much better than SJPL. I don't think they've tried Kanopy. I haven't thought to ask if the number of borrows has gone up in Hoopla. I'm not sure they're using it
One thing that I'm sort of wondering about (and I'm one of those people who WILL watch old stuff) is what's the resolution of the stuff streaming on Hoopla/Kanopy? As someone with 4/8K screens, I've noticed that the lower res stuff can look pretty crappy, sometimes so bad that things become almost unwatchable...
As for books stuff, except for art/design books, I'm pretty much all Kindle all the time so I haven't really interacted with public libraries in a long time. I used to have a (never used) SF Library card when I lived there but who knows where it is.
Libby does books and audiobooks. Hoopla does it all, books, audiobooks, magazines, music, graphic novels, TV shows and movies. Libby makes you wait in a queue to get that book/audiobook depending on how many copies of that specific title your library purchased. Hoopla is a flat number of borrows per month, so the only wait is when you burn through your monthly borrows and have to wait for the month to flip
I'm one of those weird people who re-reads books so it makes more sense just to purchase 'em. This is especially try since the kindle editions are always discounted over the dead tree copies...
You can read ebooks borrowed from the library (via Libby) on your Kindle. It might be nice to try out books anyway before you decide to purchase them. Ebooks from Hoopla you need to read within the app.
I was looking for a weekend binge (6 - 8 episode limited series), and I found "La Fortuna" on Hoopla. Spanish production with Stanley Tucci as a treasure hunter/pirate. Exactly what I was looking for! Please do a Deep Dive - I would love to find more hidden gems.
I don't know if it's on Hoopla/Kanopy but I just had fun with a quirky darkly comic show out of Ireland called Bodkin (7 episodes). I found it on Netflix...
I remember mentioning these a long time ago. Maybe when you first started your sub stack. I even posted them the Facebook and maybe even Tiktok if I remember correctly. You would think knowing about them would mean that I would actually use them, but then that means I'd actually have to drive to a library and get a library card. I am kind of ashamed of myself.
I'm *still* laughing about this. So relatable. But yeah, you gotta do it. As one of the early supporters, getting the word out, now you need to go get the card so you can get the apps and we'll do a Deep Dive.
Such a good reminder -- signed up for Kanopy this morning and discovered (happy gasp!) a bunch of design and typography docs, among other goodies. And speaking of freebie watching -- despite too many paid subscriptions I will admit -- we are fans of Tubi and Freevee.
It’s on my list! I hated Helvetica for yeeaaarrrrssss but now I’m having a bit of a Helvetica renaissance. Especially after running around on the NYC subway a couple of weeks ago…
I only use Helvetica (usually Neue) if I'm doing something intended to have a vintage/60s feel — channeling my inner Don Draper, I guess. It just feels too tied into that specific era, when every logotype was in Helvetica, etc...
But the documentary is effing AWESOME!
...and I want that black t-shirt that says "Helvetica" in the Metallica drag.
Yes, no zeal like the newbies! As soon as I signed up, got notice about Libby, which I think is great. Going to tell my daughter about that now -- she's a reading MACHINE.
I discovered Hoopla during the pandemic when the libraries shut down along with everything else. It was, and is, a godsend.
Incidentally I keep my library card in my wallet and am in and out of my local branch library on the regular, and my branch library is open seven days a week and never not busy -- people of all ages in the stacks, on the computers (free computer service at the library, folks), with their kids down in the children's room. I don't know how that translates into Hoopla usage, but the statement/assumption that most people couldn't lay hands on their library card or find their way to the library baffles me. I get books from the library 'way more often than I get one from a bookstore.
Good to hear you're in a vibrant library community, Elizabeth, and also clearly taking advantage of your card for all its goodness. (And very encouraging to hear your local branch is packed). While I don't think you and likeminded folks spinning the turnstiles at the local library are "outliers" so much, definitely a minority on the whole. It's why the Hoopla and Kanopy option is so surprising to people; spreading the word is definitely needed....
One thing you don't mention is that at least for some libraries, they limit the number of titles you can access per month. Living in Berkeley, I can only access 10 per month. I seldom if ever reach that, but it should be mentioned. Does Portland not have that limit? Also, FYI, anyone with a CA address can join the Berkeley library! Sometimes I regret that when I am way down the list waiting for holds on a book....
Good point, Linda. And yes, in Portland the Kanopy number is 20 per month. As a newbie, I don't know yet but don't *think* that the same limits apply to Hoopla. Much to explore and find out, but all exciting.
Both Kanopy and Hoopla have borrow limits. The number depends on what the library is paying for. When the SFPL first got Kanopy, it was 6 borrows per month. Kanopy has changed how they do borrows. It's a weird point system where everything is a different number of points. With SFPL, you get 30 points per month and most things cost 2 points, and you have to watch within 48 hours. This slows down my Kanopy watching because I have to think if I'll be able to watch the whole thing in 48 hours. It's really confusing. SFPL's Hoopla is 20 borrows per month. I mostly borrow graphic novels from Hoopla, which are 3 week borrows, so I don't know if you only get 48 hours for shows
Just signed up for Kanopy and Hoopla. Thanks for the recommendations!
On another note, I just discovered Jett with Carla Gugino and Giancarlo Esposito on MAX. Did you watch this? If so, what did you think?
I have two library cards, one for Woodland California and one for Yolo County (Davis) California. Sadly neither of them are affiliated with hoopla or kanopy.
Hell yeah, I love getting stuff from my library. I just saw that Hundreds of Beavers is on Hoopla, so that's what I'll be watching soon!
I am late to this thread but so glad we’re talking library services which are amazing.
A few things I have learned. Last time I streamed something on Hoopla it was standard definition. It was The A Word Season 2 (it left Hoopla before I got to Season 3). A little disappointing not seeing the Lake District in HD. However if you watch older stuff that’s less important. And watching on a laptop or iPad may make the picture seem okay.
Some other important points: the library doesn’t incur an expense unless you borrow from Hoopla. So make sure you’re definitely going to watch it. Because it’s expensive and you don’t want to cost the library and then not bother watching. Second, the borrow limits are on TV episodes. Yup that’s right. That means (for my library system), I can only borrow 10 episodes per month. So count on a slow binge. But like you said, this is a great fit for people who don’t watch a lot of TV but would like some things available. And it’s a nice supplemental for us TV nerds. Finally the Hoopla app on the Apple TV is … fine. It works. But I would recommend browsing on your phone etc and just watching on the TV.
I am definitely in for Hoopla/Kanopy deep dives. I’m in the Atlanta/Fulton County library system. It is excellent. We have all the main services and a robust digital library. It seems to be superior to NY (per the comments) which is crazy.
Yes Kanopy can be expensive, which as was noted above, why different libraries have different borrow limits. Fx, when I worked at UC Berkeley I had Kanopy thru them and the limit was different than from SF library. And the selection was different also.
Not unrelated, NY is currently cutting library and school budgets to funnel more money to NYPD. So extras like Kanopy are likely not coming back any time soon. At least until they get a mayor more sympathetic to schools and libraries.
But yeah, Kanopy & Hoopla are great resources.
Great info, Greg. Thanks for sharing. I’m still stunned by NY. And yeah I was told SFPL had a great selection on Kanopy but have no idea if that is true or how it compares to say Portland (or Berkeley or anywhere for that matter)
Do Hoopla and Kanopy allow shared access??
No, one library card per account, so each person needs a library card
Keith I’m interested in (and will eventually find out) if having access through 2 libraries increases the Kanopy views (would seem to) and while that would benefit my Portland/SF split, I wonder what would stop anyone motivated to, say, join Berkeley AND SF etc.
I believe yes but you need to create 2 different logins. So 2 separate accounts for each library system. Maybe a pain but a nice option to get extra movies each month. You can do the same with Hoopla.
That's a good question. I helped my father and brother get SFPL cards, so now they've got both SJPL and SFPL. They use them for books via Libby, and they've said the SFPL selection is much better than SJPL. I don't think they've tried Kanopy. I haven't thought to ask if the number of borrows has gone up in Hoopla. I'm not sure they're using it
OK, I'm convinced. I just got a library card.
LET'S GOOOOOO
One thing that I'm sort of wondering about (and I'm one of those people who WILL watch old stuff) is what's the resolution of the stuff streaming on Hoopla/Kanopy? As someone with 4/8K screens, I've noticed that the lower res stuff can look pretty crappy, sometimes so bad that things become almost unwatchable...
As for books stuff, except for art/design books, I'm pretty much all Kindle all the time so I haven't really interacted with public libraries in a long time. I used to have a (never used) SF Library card when I lived there but who knows where it is.
As Nancy notes below, the library has a system called Libby, also accessible with the card, that let's you download books.
Libby does books and audiobooks. Hoopla does it all, books, audiobooks, magazines, music, graphic novels, TV shows and movies. Libby makes you wait in a queue to get that book/audiobook depending on how many copies of that specific title your library purchased. Hoopla is a flat number of borrows per month, so the only wait is when you burn through your monthly borrows and have to wait for the month to flip
I'm one of those weird people who re-reads books so it makes more sense just to purchase 'em. This is especially try since the kindle editions are always discounted over the dead tree copies...
You can read ebooks borrowed from the library (via Libby) on your Kindle. It might be nice to try out books anyway before you decide to purchase them. Ebooks from Hoopla you need to read within the app.
I was looking for a weekend binge (6 - 8 episode limited series), and I found "La Fortuna" on Hoopla. Spanish production with Stanley Tucci as a treasure hunter/pirate. Exactly what I was looking for! Please do a Deep Dive - I would love to find more hidden gems.
I don't know if it's on Hoopla/Kanopy but I just had fun with a quirky darkly comic show out of Ireland called Bodkin (7 episodes). I found it on Netflix...
Stanley Tucci as a treasure hunter/pirate! Nice. And yes, I'm definitely going to Deep Dive on these two. Have already started a list of contenders.
I remember mentioning these a long time ago. Maybe when you first started your sub stack. I even posted them the Facebook and maybe even Tiktok if I remember correctly. You would think knowing about them would mean that I would actually use them, but then that means I'd actually have to drive to a library and get a library card. I am kind of ashamed of myself.
I'm *still* laughing about this. So relatable. But yeah, you gotta do it. As one of the early supporters, getting the word out, now you need to go get the card so you can get the apps and we'll do a Deep Dive.
I just talked to my fiancée, she has one, I'll be installing them later, and when I say later, I probably mean when you start the Deep Dive. LOL
Such a good reminder -- signed up for Kanopy this morning and discovered (happy gasp!) a bunch of design and typography docs, among other goodies. And speaking of freebie watching -- despite too many paid subscriptions I will admit -- we are fans of Tubi and Freevee.
"Helvetica" reaches my happy place.
I want to see that one.
Oh, it's awesome (even though I vastly prefer Futura or Univers when I'm designing stuff)...
It’s on my list! I hated Helvetica for yeeaaarrrrssss but now I’m having a bit of a Helvetica renaissance. Especially after running around on the NYC subway a couple of weeks ago…
I only use Helvetica (usually Neue) if I'm doing something intended to have a vintage/60s feel — channeling my inner Don Draper, I guess. It just feels too tied into that specific era, when every logotype was in Helvetica, etc...
But the documentary is effing AWESOME!
...and I want that black t-shirt that says "Helvetica" in the Metallica drag.
Huge Kanopy/Hoopla fan here; glad you're amplifying them. Let us also praise Libby, the free library app for audiobooks.
Yes, no zeal like the newbies! As soon as I signed up, got notice about Libby, which I think is great. Going to tell my daughter about that now -- she's a reading MACHINE.
I discovered Hoopla during the pandemic when the libraries shut down along with everything else. It was, and is, a godsend.
Incidentally I keep my library card in my wallet and am in and out of my local branch library on the regular, and my branch library is open seven days a week and never not busy -- people of all ages in the stacks, on the computers (free computer service at the library, folks), with their kids down in the children's room. I don't know how that translates into Hoopla usage, but the statement/assumption that most people couldn't lay hands on their library card or find their way to the library baffles me. I get books from the library 'way more often than I get one from a bookstore.
Good to hear you're in a vibrant library community, Elizabeth, and also clearly taking advantage of your card for all its goodness. (And very encouraging to hear your local branch is packed). While I don't think you and likeminded folks spinning the turnstiles at the local library are "outliers" so much, definitely a minority on the whole. It's why the Hoopla and Kanopy option is so surprising to people; spreading the word is definitely needed....
Aha! Season 2 of My Life is Murder is on Hoopla.
Also: SFPL has a large DVD collection. RWE, NHNF.
Yes, was noticing that some shows my sister has called favorites are all over Hoopla.
I wonder what the SFPL "allotment" of Kanopy titles per month is (seems to vary).
One thing you don't mention is that at least for some libraries, they limit the number of titles you can access per month. Living in Berkeley, I can only access 10 per month. I seldom if ever reach that, but it should be mentioned. Does Portland not have that limit? Also, FYI, anyone with a CA address can join the Berkeley library! Sometimes I regret that when I am way down the list waiting for holds on a book....
Good point, Linda. And yes, in Portland the Kanopy number is 20 per month. As a newbie, I don't know yet but don't *think* that the same limits apply to Hoopla. Much to explore and find out, but all exciting.
Both Kanopy and Hoopla have borrow limits. The number depends on what the library is paying for. When the SFPL first got Kanopy, it was 6 borrows per month. Kanopy has changed how they do borrows. It's a weird point system where everything is a different number of points. With SFPL, you get 30 points per month and most things cost 2 points, and you have to watch within 48 hours. This slows down my Kanopy watching because I have to think if I'll be able to watch the whole thing in 48 hours. It's really confusing. SFPL's Hoopla is 20 borrows per month. I mostly borrow graphic novels from Hoopla, which are 3 week borrows, so I don't know if you only get 48 hours for shows
Great info Keith. Thanks for adding.
Oh I have not been paying attention. It looks like SFPL now gives you 30 borrows per month on Hoopla
a lot!
I have access to hoopla and need to get to doing more exploring on there. I need to see if I have kanopy access
It seems like a lot of people have both, but as the comment above notes, NY doesn't do Kanopy anymore, apparently.
But yeah, as I was looking at places across the country, many offer access to both.