New Yorkers Can Now Stream Over 30,000 Films for Free with Their Library Cards

If you’re a New York City resident, the number of free streaming movies you can watch just got a lot larger—as long as you have a library card. The New York Public Library and the Brooklyn Public Library have both partnered with a streaming service called Kanopy to provide cardholders with more than 30,000 feature and foreign films, documentaries, and training videos at their fingertips.

For film buffs, this is an incredible opportunity to watch some of the best movies out there; access to Kanopy includes the whole Criterion Collection that has classic and contemporary productions. Kanopy specifically focuses on independent flicks, and they boast titles that aren't available on Netflix or iTunes. They then use this vast selection to curate collections based on geographic location. For New Yorkers, that means there’s a section dedicated to New York Times Critics’ Picks.

With all this free streaming comes a caveat—there’s limited access to the collection. Cardholders of the New York Public Library can watch up to 10 titles per month, while Brooklyn counterparts max out at six. Once you’ve exhausted your viewing on Kanopy, though, you’ve still got options; just check out one of the million books available to you through your card!

If you're a cardholder to the New York or Brooklyn Public Library, you can now watch more than 30,000 films and videos for free. Like this one:

Free Streaming Movies at the New York Public Library

Bicycle Thieves (1948)

With a variety of feature films and documentaries, this makes it one of the best free movie streaming sites around. Check out more of their offerings:

Free Streaming Movies at the New York Public Library

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Free Streaming Movies at the New York Public Library

The Seventh Seal (1957)

Free Streaming Movies at the New York Public Library

Paris, Texas (1984)

Best Free Movie Streaming Sites

Eraserhead (1977)

New York Public Library Best Free Movie Streaming Sites

Grey Gardens (1975)

New York Public Library Best Free Movie Streaming Sites

I Am Not Your Negro (2017)

Best Free Movie Streaming Sites

Breathless (1960)

Kanopy: Website
h/t: [Open Culture]

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled "Embroidered Life" that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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