LibGuides: Poets and Poetry: Videos

About Videos

Videos can be a rich source of information for research, adding visual, sound, and movement to illustrate concepts beyond what can be described in words. Feature films and documentaries on DVD are available in each campus library, and are listed in the library catalog along with the books. Streaming video can be accessed through the library databases. These range from short educational and historical film clips to full-length movies and documentaries.

Searching for Videos

You can use the video search below (and on our home page) to find films and videos in different formats. DVDs are available for checkout and can be requested to be sent from one campus to another. Many films are available to stream.

Search our Films on Demand video collection.

or go to the Streaming Media Guide for more collections and information.

Films on Demand

Films on Demand (FOD) is a wonderful database that offers access to film and film segments in many subject areas including poetry. Films can be viewed in their entirety or by short segments, making them ideal for presentations. Once logged into the database, try a keyword search such as "poetry" to see a range of available videos. Search for the name of a known poet, Lucille Clifton, Billy Collins, Langston Hughes, Walt Whitman, etc,

A sampling of films on poetry offered through Films on Demand: (Login required for off-campus access)

Series: The Language of Life: A Festival of Poets, Films on Demand
Series: Poetry Haven, Films on Demand
Includes Why We Write.
Series: The Power of the Word, Films on Demand
Truth Underground: Three Poets Discover the Power of the Spoken Word
Film. (1:08)
Link to a list of streaming videos in FOD on a variety of African American poets.
This link will take you to the Streaming Video tab on the African American Poetry guide. Login required for off-campus locations.

Find Poetry Video Clips

Dodge Poetry YouTube Channel
Video highlights from past Dodge Foundation Poetry Festivals, some of which have been featured on PBS. Over the years a remarkable group of poets from around the world has read to enthusiastic audiences and discussed a broad range of topics related to poetry. These topics have included: the life of the artist, the nature of the art, and poetry's relation to many other aspects of life ― from politics, class, and race to spirituality and the environment.

Beginning in 1986 the multi-day Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival has been held every other year, usually in the highlands of New Jersey, and they have always attracted a diverse audience of poetry lovers. Recent Festivals have drawn audiences numbering between fifteen and twenty thousand people. Now you can be there. Enjoy!

You will also be able to find many other useful videos about a poetry on free Internet sites such as YouTube. Try a phrase such as "def poetry jam" or a name of a poet such as "Rumi" or "Billy Collins" for example.

NOTE: YouTube is a classic example of one of the strengths and weaknesses of the Internet, which is the fact that anyone can post videos. As such, the quality and scholarly acceptability of videos varies greatly. There may be useful video clips on YouTube, however, so it is worth a look. Before referencing any material from YouTube (or other video sites on the Internet) in a paper or using a clip in a presentation, though, it is highly advisable to check with your instructor concerning the acceptability of the video for the assignment.