Written by: Faith Brown

As the semester winds down, some professors require students to watch and analyze films for an assignment or for the course itself.  However, with streaming services raising their subscription prices and kicking mainstream DVDs out of relevancy, students often wonder where they can find cheaper alternatives to watching films. What many students don’t know is that MU Libraries offers a wide selection of films to browse and has many partners that do the same!

MU Libraries offers both free online movie services as well as copies of films (and the tech you need to watch them). To get started, visit MU Libraries’ main website and type the movie/DVD you’re looking for in the search box. After you’ve been redirected to the search results, you can limit results on the left to just include films then browse through the list to see if you can find the DVD you’re looking for along with its location. If the film you’re looking for isn’t found on in the list, you can click the “MOBIUS” icon on the right side of your screen to expand your search to other partnering libraries in Missouri. Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is also available to students where you can request a copy of your film through an online form and a librarian will send you a copy from any around the world.

Looking for musical performances, theatre, and documentaries? Visit the available through the MU Libraries website where over 4,000 titles are available for streaming. Need something a bit more educational and history oriented? also gives students access to over 1,000 titles from networks like BBC, PBS, Sony Pictures and many more.

MU Libraries doesn’t just have educational films, and with the holiday season in full effect, find a movie is a crucial part of the celebration. If you’re not sure which film you want or aren’t feeling very picky, head over to Ellis Library and check out their DVD collection next to the computer lab on the first floor or use the Ellis Library map provided on our website. When you’ve found the film you’re looking for, bring it to the Check Out and Information Desk at Ellis just as you would a typical book. You can also check out any DVD players or external drives needed.

If your search is still at a dead end, try visiting the Daniel Boone Regional Library (DBRL) or their website. You can apply for a library card online, or visit DBRL in person to get it set up. Once you have a library card, streaming services such as Kanopy, Freegal, and Hoopla can be used at your leisure.

Written by: Lexi Tucker

If you spend a regular amount of time in Ellis Library, I think it’s safe to say you have a ‘designated spot’ that seems to get the job done when doubling down on assignments. The space I tend to occupy while studying late at night is the Information Commons on the first floor of Ellis Library.

The James B. Nutter Family Information Commons, formally named to honor Mizzou philanthropists and alum James B. Nutter Sr., was opened in the Fall of 2004. With 22,000 square feet, the Information Commons provides 63 computers (22 Apple iMacs and 41 Dell PCs), 11 Black and white printers, one color printer, and two KIC scanners, all conveniently clumped together and available for student use during regularly scheduled Ellis Library operation hours.

Only a few steps in when you enter Ellis from Lowry Mall, or directly at the top of the stairs when entering from speaker circle, the Information Commons, divided as Information Commons 1 and 2, takes up the majority of the first floor of Ellis Library as indicated on the map. In this section, you will find students collaborating in small groups, lounging between classes at comfortable one-seaters, or tuning out the tour teams to focus on individual assignments.

Some may ask, how is going to arguably the most populated area in the library going to help me focus during crunch time in the semester? For myself and maybe others, it’s sometimes more distracting to be alone in a study room, and I find the keyboard strokes, the paper flipping, and the calculator punching fill the silence perfectly, bringing a sense of peace when I’m otherwise stressed about schoolwork. If your study habits are best suited to particular conditions, the library has a map of locations designed to support sensory needs as well as quiet spaces to foster the best environment for you.

The Information Commons is my go-to space, and as the first area that made me feel comfortable in the library, I soon discovered my other favorite study locations in Ellis. If you have questions or want suggestions on how to utilize the Information Commons and the library in general, please feel free to stop by the Peer Navigators desk, conveniently located between the two sections of the Information Commons.