Written by: Annalise Miller

Ellis Library offers a wide range of film resources to support both classroom instruction and personal viewing. Although our campus library has limited streaming services, students and faculty still have access to some excellent alternatives. MU students and faculty can search Discover@MU on the University of Missouri Libraries website to find video materials in multiple formats, including DVD and film, making it easy to locate content for class, research, or just for fun.

If you prefer browsing in person, DVDs are available on the south side of the Reference stacks near the Information Commons on the first floor of Ellis Library.

You can also search the library catalog to locate specific titles or explore a curated list of films available at Ellis. Don’t have a DVD player? No worries – they are available for checkout at the North Service Desk on the first floor of Ellis!

For free streaming options, students can obtain a library card from the Daniel Boone Regional Library. This is a simple process that can be completed online at dbrl.org. Once on the site, select “Browse and Borrow,” to pull up a drop-down window, where you will then select “Get a card,” and apply online. Daniel Boone regional library has access to both Kanopy and Hoopla, free streaming service for popular movies and shows.

Happy watching, Tigers!

Written by: Isabella Bickhaus

At the beginning of every new semester, working as a Peer Navigator in Ellis brings some of my favorite questions to the desk. Recently, I interacted with a student who wanted advice on where to spend their time between classes. This question of where to pass time on campus applies to both new and returning students. Mizzou’s campus is large, and not all academic buildings have seating outside of classrooms. This question reminded me of one reason I enjoy spending time in the Libraries on campus; they’re third places I know I can exist without any expectations. Access to resources, like printers and phone chargers, is also a major bonus.

What is a “third place”? The term was coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg, referring to spaces in our communities outside of homes (first places) and work (second places). Oldenburg considered third places as “a generic designation for a great variety of public places that host the regular, voluntary, informal, and happily anticipated gatherings of individuals beyond the realms of home and work.” 

Along with the bustling Student Center, the iconic Columns (weather permitting), and Stankowski Field, the Libraries are popular third places on campus. From the outside, Ellis Library is an impressive building, and libraries can be stereotyped as silent, serious spaces, which can be intimidating. However, Ellis exists to serve students, faculty, and the community as a place to gather and interact. Beyond scheduled events, like BYOB Book Club or Calming Crafternoons, Ellis is a space where students can meet up for coffee in the Bookmark Cafe or heat up food in the microwaves on the ground floor. If I am stuck on campus with a dying phone or laptop, I know I can check out a charger from Ellis. Of course, Ellis provides a multitude of study spaces. From the silent, grand reading room to the collaborative tables on the first floor, there is a place for everyone at Ellis.