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eBooks, eAudio, eMags & Streaming: Tech Help

Thousands of eBooks and eAudiobooks available anytime and from anywhere you have internet access—free with your library card!

Kanopy Streaming Video

Kanopy Streaming Video -- NEW in 2022!

Access thousands of streaming videos during FCPL’s yearlong grant-funded pilot with Kanopy. Enjoy Oscar-nominated, international and critically acclaimed films and documentaries, the Great Courses and Kanopy Kids.

Kanopy Kids provides parental controls and unlimited educational options including Sesame Street, language learning videos and more!

Kanopy works on PCs and Macs, on mobile devices and on many smart TVs. Each account is assigned 5 "Play Credits" per month. Kanopy offers "enriching films that bridge cultural boundaries, spark discussion and expand worldviews." You'll have access to 30,000+ films, documentaries, classics and indie titles. Find:

  • Arthouse Favorites
  • British Cinema
  • The Criterion Collection
  • The Great Courses
  • Short Films
  • World Cinema
  • Kanopy Kids

Kanopy can be used either as a web app or a mobile app. In the attached handout, we refer to the web app as the "Browser version" and the mobile app as the "app" version.

What You Will Need

  • Kanopy mobile app or Kanopy web app (browser version)
  • Valid Fairfax County library card (library card number must be used rather than username) and password (PIN)
  • Valid email address
  • Internet or Wi-Fi Connection
  • PC, Mac, mobile device or smart TV

FIRST TIME KANOPY USERS – PCS

  1. On PCs or Macs, go to bit.ly/fcplkan and select Log In To FairfaxLibrary.
  2. Enter your library card number and password and select Continue.
  3. To create an account, enter your name, the email you would like to use and a password (which must be at least 6 characters).
  4. Select the link in your verification email to complete the Kanopy login process.

FIRST TIME KANOPY USERS – MOBILE DEVICES

  1. On a mobile device, download the Kanopy mobile app. Tap Get Started, tap Find Library, find FairfaxLibrary.
  2. Enter your library card number and password and select Continue.
  3. To create an account, enter your name, the email you would like to use and a password (which must be at least 6 characters).
  4. Select the link in your verification email to complete the Kanopy login process.

KANOPY ON YOUR TV

  1. Create your account on a PC or mobile device before downloading a Kanopy TV app for your particular TV.
  2. Go to bit.ly/fcplkantv to find instructions for specific devices.
  • You can also view Kanopy on your TV by connecting your PC or laptop to your TV with an HDMI cable.

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A KANOPY ACCOUNT WITH ANOTHER LIBRARY

You can add your Fairfax County library card to an existing Kanopy account.

  1. Select LOG IN and sign in as you would for your other account.
    • On a PC, select your name from the top navigation bar and then select My Memberships. Select the red Add a new membership button, then search for Fairfax County and select Add.
    • In an app, tap the ≡ More menu, tap Memberships and tap Add a Library at the bottom. Search for Fairfax County.
  2. Enter your library card number and password. Select Add or Verify.
  3. You must be in the Kanopy web app (browser) if you wish to change your default library. With an app, be in your default library to add any additional libraries.
  4. Select Home (mobile app) or Kanopy (web app) to search for a film.

TELL ME MORE!

  • You will receive 5 Play Credits at the beginning of each month. Play credits reset on the 1st of each month. Unused credits from the previous month expire and do not carry over.
  • Once you press play, you automatically use one play credit. You then have 3 days to view each borrowed film as many times as you like. Titles expire after 3 days.
  • Access to The Great Courses and Kanopy Kids videos does not count against your play credits. Viewing a trailer does not use any play credits. There are no late fees.
  • Each episode in a series uses a separate play credit.
  • Films cannot be downloaded; they only stream through the internet.

KANOPY KIDS

  • Kanopy Kids is a collection of educational and entertaining movies, TV series, animated storybooks, live action and animated favorites containing content specifically for children. The focus is on content for children age 2-8.
  • All Kanopy Kids content is available for 30 days on a rolling basis and does not count against your monthly 5 play credits.
  • Parental controls are available for Kanopy Kids. These are best set up on a PC.

SEARCH AND NAVIGATE IN KANOPY KIDS

  • The web, TV and mobile apps have different interfaces. Look at the top or bottom of the screen for Browse and a Search bar or magnifying glass. Search for a topic, film title, actor, etc. Use quotation marks when searching for an exact title or phrase. Select filters to customize your search.
    • In the web app, select Go to Kanopy Kids in the upper right next to your name; select your name for More. 
    • In the mobile app, select the ≡ More menu in the lower right to find access to Kanopy Kids, Settings and Help.
  • After you have chosen a film, select the Play button ►. When you tap Play, you automatically use one of your 5 play credits.
  • In the web app, select Kanopy in the upper left to return Home. In the mobile app, when viewing a film, tap the screen to pause or < at the top to return to your list. Tap Home to conduct another search.
  • In the web app, to view a checked-out movie, select your name and then Viewing History. In a mobile app, tap My List.
  • Subtitles are available on most films. English subtitles are automatically offered on all non-English titles. In the web app, hover over the CC at the bottom of the film to select captions. In the mobile app, tap the speech bubble when the film is playing.

KANOPY WEB APP FEATURES

Certain features are only available in the Kanopy browser and not in the mobile apps. Only in the web app can you create playlists, post comments, share and embed films, change your default library and edit your profile.

SIGN OUT OF KANOPY

In the web app, select your name and then select Log out. In a mobile app, tap the ≡ More menu, then Sign Out then Yes.

DO YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? KANOPY CAN HELP!

How do I set up Parental Controls?
Which computer browsers can I use?
Which devices are supported?
How can I adjust video quality?
Can I access transcripts?
Can I use my Kindle Fire with Kanopy?
How can I be sure I stream with Wi-Fi?
Can I share films and playlists?
Why did I get an error message when I tried to add my library card?

Access help on Kanopy's website at help.Kanopy.com. Select the ≡ More menu in the lower right corner in a mobile app and then select Help.

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