Kitchener Public Library offers Netflix-like video service

The Kitchener Public Library is now offering a free video-streaming service called Hoopla to its library card holders.

Hoopla allows patrons to stream movies or television shows through their computer, Apple or Android device for free. The service offers documentaries, foreign films, children's content, music and TV shows, some of which aren't easy to find elsewhere. 

“Things like British TV shows on there from the BBC, there is lots of quality material from PBS, there is a lot of those classic black-and-white television shows, things that you might not be able to see on TV anymore,” said Natalie Gibbons, KPL’s adult non-fiction librarian.

Currently users can only stream four videos per month but she says the library will look at expanding that, based on demand.

“That will be something that we will look at, probably after a year. We need to assess how popular the product is and get a handle on how many people are using it and what kind of comments we get from the public. Then hopefully we can take a look at expanding the borrowing number,” said Gibbons. 

Kitchener Public Library is the first in Waterloo Region to offer the service, but it was launched in Toronto earlier this month.