King County brings the silver screen to local libraries

County library members will now have free access to an expansive film streaming service.

The King County Library System (KCLS) recently joined the Seattle Public Library in offering Kanopy, an on-demand streaming service, to more than 2 million county residents.

The service is now available in more than 230 library systems and over 2,150 individual public libraries throughout hundreds of U.S. cities.

Kanopy allows users to view thousands of films in a curated collection provided through a partnership with more than 4,000 libraries around the world. Kanopy users can stream movies and documentaries from award-winning filmmakers, film-festival picks, independent films, classic films, world cinema, and critical favorites.

Kanopy content includes curated work from The Great Courses, Kino Lorber, Music Box Films, Samuel Goldwyn, The Orchard, PBS and thousands of independent filmmakers. Selections from the Criterion Collection are available at as well.

KCLS members can view all available films at https://kcls.kanopy.com/.

Kanopy, can be accessed from numerous devices and platforms and users don’t need to physically be in the library in order to access the service.

Kanopy was founded in 2008 by CEO Olivia Humphrey as an educational tool for colleges and universities. The service has recently become available in public libraries and access is rapidly expanding across the United States, Canada and Australia.