Integrating the Library into Canvas Courses

Videos from Alexander Street (ASV) can be integrated into Canvas courses in three ways:

1. Embedded using the Alexander Street app from Canvas.
2. Linked on a Page with a descriptive link, just like articles and ebooks, using a QuickSearch Permalink.
3. Linked on a Page with a descriptive link with a stable, proxied link directly to ASV.

Option 1: Embed a video from Alexander Street using the Canvas app

1. Check to see if the Alexander Street Video app is installed in the Settings area of your Canvas course. Find out how to install apps in Canvas in this video tutorial.
   • If Canvas asks for a Consumer Key and Secret please contact Liz Svoboda (esvoboda@umich.edu).
2. Navigate to the page in your course where you want to embed the video.
3. Click the App tool (looks like an electrical plug) on the rich text box's tool bar and select Alexander Street Video from the drop down. 
   
4. Search for the video you want to embed. It is best to have the exact title and possibly the production company or director because the box to view results is smaller in Canvas.
   
5. Choose how you want to embed the video. Each result will have three embed options: "Return Link" creates a rich text link while "Embed medium size" or "Embed large size" puts the media player entirely within the page.
6. The video should now be embedded within your page!

Option 2: Create a descriptive link to a ASV film found via QuickSearch

1. Search for the film in the library's QuickSearch on our homepage.
2. Click the permalink icon next to the film.
   
3. Copy the link that appears.
   
4. You can now create a descriptive link on your Canvas Page.

Option 3: Create a stable, proxied descriptive link

To create a descriptive link to a video, you will need to create a stable, proxied link to it.

1. On an ASV video page you need to click "Share" in the top toolbar and then click the "Copy Permalink" button that will appear.
   
2. A window will pop up with the permalink for you to copy.
   
3. The permalink typically does not have the library proxy string attached, so you will need to add it to the beginning of the permalink: https://libproxy.umflint.edu/login?url=.
4. You are now ready to create a descriptive link on a Canvas page.

Here is what both the rich text link and the embedded media look like in a Canvas page.

Streaming films from Kanopy can be integrated into Canvas courses in three ways:

1. Linked on a Page with a descriptive link, just like articles and ebooks, using a QuickSearch Permalink.
2. Linked on a Page with a descriptive link with a stable, proxied link directly to Kanopy.
3. Embedded with Kanopy's embed code - ONLY PLAYS ON FIREFOX BROWSER off campus or if student has created a personal Kanopy account.

Option 1: Create a descriptive link to a Kanopy film found via QuickSearch

Using a QuickSearch permalink is the easiest way to reliably link to any library content, including Kanopy films.

1. Search for the film in the library's QuickSearch on our homepage.
2. Click the permalink icon next to the film.
   
3. Copy the link that appears.
   
4. You can now create a descriptive link on your Canvas Page.

Option 2: Create a stable, proxied descriptive link directly to Kanopy

Creating a stable proxied link to share Kanopy's films with students should work with all internet browsers.

1. On a Kanopy video page, click the "Share" button below the media player and video information.
2. Copy the link and add the proxy string to the beginning of the provided link, so that your link looks like this: https://libproxy.umflint.edu/login?url=https://umflint.kanopy.com/video/puppies-and-senior-dogs.
3. You can now create a descriptive link on your Canvas Page.

Option 3: Embed a film using the Kanopy embed code and Canvas's rich text editor

Embedded Kanopy films will only play if you are using the Firefox internet browser or if the students have created a personal account with the Kanopy database. We STRONGLY suggest that you use a rich text link to share Kanopy's content.

1. On a Kanopy video page you need to click the "Embed" button below the media player and video information. 
2. After copying the Kanopy code, open up the Canvas page in which you want to embed the film.
3. Under the Canvas rich text box, click the "</>" icon to switch to the HTML editor.
4. Paste in the embed code and then click the "</>" icon to switch back to the rich text editor.
5. Your film is now embedded and will either prompt students to login, possibly in a pop up window, or will remember their IP address and play the film without them logging in.

Here is what both a the rich text link and the embedded media look like in a Canvas page.

Besides Alexander Street Video and Kanopy, other library databases have video content that you might want to use in your class. The most consistent way to include this content is by using QuickSearch permalinks as descriptive links.

The following are just a few examples of databases with video content. More can be found through our A-Z Database list as well.