This is the second in a series of posts I’m writing about free tech resources that you can access via your local library system. Our focus here is on giving you more entertainment options, as the cost of nearly everything is skyrocketing and large media companies are being allowed to merge, often leading to less competition and higher prices. Regardless of what, specifically, monopolies and duopolies lead to, they’re generally not good for consumers or employees.
For this article, we’re going to look at two ad-free streaming services that you can access with your library card. Both are completely free! Those services are Kanopy and Hoopla, and they are available where I live in Southern California. Both sites are free and boast their reach, with Hoopla stating on its site that library systems not already using it can “Join the thousands of library systems, from Ohio to Australia, who already offer hoopla.” While Hoopla doesn’t offer a way to find your local library that uses their service, Kanopy does. Just enter your library name, city, or ZIP code to find your local branch that contracts with the service.
Kanopy is for kids, cinephiles, and doc lovers
Think of Kanopy like a free alternative to the Criterion Collection. If you’re a lover of documentaries and film classics, you’ll be right at home on Kanopy. If PBS is one of your favorite media outlets, Kanopy’s your Huckleberry. If you know who Akira Kurosawa is, in other words, if foreign films are also your thing, you’re going to enjoy the service. Hoopla, on the other hand, is a multimedia service that allows you to borrow audiobooks, ebooks, digital comic books, and music, as well as stream movies and TV shows.
For families, there is also a section of their catalog titled Kanopy Kids that has a pretty good selection of content for your children. There’s a reason I said that if PBS is one of your favorite media outlets, this is a solid service to consider.
I’m a bigger fan of Hoopla for the comic books, manga (yes, you can check out digital manga), and anime. Their anime catalog isn’t extensive, though. When I type “ anime” in the search box, it returns only 542 results. For comparison, One Piece currently has 1,165 episodes, the Dragon Ball franchise has 831, and the Naruto universe comprises 1013 episodes if you count Boruto. That said, you’ll actually find some seasons of One Piece, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Naruto, Death Note, Hunter x Hunter, and many others.
The movies are solid offerings, like Inuyasha, BLEACH, and Sailor Moon, along with some other, more obscure titles. I really find that I get more utility out of Hoopla, but both services are great add-ons to paying for one streaming service you really like, then using them to fill in the gaps when and if you find yourself looking for something else to watch, read, or listen to.
I went off on a bit of a tangent, so back to the main thing. You’ll also find popular movies and TV shows on Hoopla, along with the media mentioned above. You’ll just need to be a bit patient because the titles on offer aren’t always the most recent.
So, how do I use these services?
Leave the credit card in your wallet. Yay!
The two services have a few differences in how they operate. Of course, you’ll need a library card to access both services. Once you have that, Kanopy will give you a monthly “bucket” of tickets, usually 10-30 play credits, depending on your library system. The film you want to watch will determine the number of tickets you need to “rent” a film. Typically, you’ll get 72 hours to watch your chosen film. Unused credits don’t roll over to the next month.
Upside? Kanopy Kids content doesn’t count against your monthly credits, so kids can stream unlimited content. A great deal for media content access during the summer (and year-round).
On the other hand, Hoopla gives you a fixed number of “instant borrows” per month, and every type of media counts as one borrow. In my area, the LA County Library limits your Hoopla borrows to just five per month. They did put some thought into this system, though: you can binge an entire season of a show for seven days using just one borrow.
Both streaming services are third-party, and your local library system is the one that actually pays for your ability to use them. As a result, there are limits on the total number of library patrons who can borrow items. For example, Hoopla has a daily budget in place to control costs. What that means for you is that you may see a message if you borrow late in the day during the summer when all the kids are home that says, “The library’s daily limit has been reached,” so you’ll need to twiddle your thumbs until the daily budget resets, which usually happens around midnight.
Last thing to know about using these services is how they’ll work with your summer travel plans. Kanopy offers only streaming content and doesn’t allow you to download that content to watch offline.
Hoopla, on the other hand, being a multimedia service, allows patrons to download borrowed movies, albums, or books to their devices. Now you can read all the One Piece manga Hoopla offers when you’re lounging on the deck during your cruise.
