ENGL 127 Research Writing: Social Sciences (Moreno)

This is a guide for Michael Moreno's ENGL 127 with a focus on Urban Studies.

Find Multimedia

Find Multimedia in Holman Library Collections

This page includes links and strategies for helping you find multimedia resources about your city. 

Multimedia may include DVDs, streamed video and film, podcasts, and other informative visual and/or aural media. 

Streaming Video & DVDs in Holman Library

Search the library catalog for all DVDs and streaming video OR search directly within our streaming video collection, Films on Demand.

Catalog Search:
  1. Type in your city name below - and if that returns nothing, try your state/country or region.
  2. Review your results and then consider if you should focus your search with a second keyword, such as history or art, etc. 
  3. Limit to Video
Films on Demand Streaming Video Collection Search

Films on Demand offers a collection of educational videos on a full range of subjects, along with some news video, TED Talks, and other video. 

  • Tip: You can search for films by title (an entire film) or by segment (which is like a chapter). You will find some great material for your urban studies in segments.

To find videos on your city, state/country, or region, or to find videos on urban issues more generally, I suggest two strategies. 

  • Strategy 1: Type in the name of your city. You can try adding AND a keyword, such as history or architecture, but FoD does better with few search terms.
  • Strategy 2: Click on the menu (3 vertical bars) and select by relevant Subject area. Browse results. Subjects include: 
    • Area studies > by region
    • Geography > Urban Geography or World Geography
    • Art & Architecture
Image of Strategy 1: Search 

click on image to enlarge

FoD - Search by City

Image of Strategy 2: Browse by Subject

click on image to enlarge

FoD-Browse by Subject

Search or browse the special collections in the Holman Library database Films on Demand for independent voices in public television programs such as Ken Burns, Ted Talks, Nova, PBS, and the American Experience.

Find Multimedia Online

The Web and other Libraries are also a good place to look for online news and news magazine programs, videos, film, and podcasts on your city or urban issue. Here is a sampling of resources: 

Multimedia News Online:

Sample News Magazine Programs

Look for news and cultural programming from your city.

TED Talks 

Sample Podcasts/ Podcast Lists:

Here are just a few things I found on the Web.

Other Libraries

Class Videos from Films on Demand

Film 1: 

It's a Mall World

This program examines cultural and psychological aspects of what is now an archetypal suburban experience: shopping at the mall. Visiting “cathedrals of consumerism” throughout North America—from the Southdale, Minnesota, progenitor of the enclosed retail mall to the absurdly spectacular Grand Canal Shoppes and Desert Passage in Las Vegas—the video raises fundamental questions about consumer identity and diversity. Evoking “experience retail” as a conceptual counterpoint to Internet-driven home shopping, the program also catalyzes inquiry into the relationship between economics, architecture, and human interaction. (47 minutes)

Film 2

Shopping, once simply a basic task, now vies with television as America’s most popular leisure activity. How are retailers cashing in on all that discretionary spending? From the Turkish bazaar to the Mall of America, this program reveals the strategies being used to ensure that wallets and purses remain open for business. Retail anthropologist Paco Underhill, shopping center architect Eric Kuhne, retail analyst Claire Williams, Amazon.com’s Jeff Bezos, and Geoff Burch, "the world’s most persuasive man," share their insights into the importance of advertising, store design, product placement, and buyer behavior analysis—all underlying aggressive new approaches that have redefined consumers as targets. Original BBC broadcast title: Buy-ology: Program 2. (51 minutes)

Film 3: Mr. Smith Goes to Tokyo

When Tomoko finds some messages for a Mr. Smith on a lost mobile phone, she finds herself on an “Alice in Wonderland” journey through Tokyo’s boulevards and back alleys. From the tyranny of symmetry in soaring office blocks to buildings that look like spaceships, this creative documentary reveals the city’s soul. And as Tomoko watches the sun rising over buildings ranging from imperial to space-age styling, from the height of function to the height of whimsy, the spirit of the city—encompassing past, present, and future—comes alive. This breathtaking documentary was created by Bafta-award-winning director, Iain Overton. (50 minutes)

What is Multimedia?

Multimedia

Multimedia refers to communication through radio, film, video, mixed media, and more. Keep in mind that the resources on this page are just a selection of what's out there.

You'll find a range of sources, including:

  • Radio and Television Journalism
  • News Magazine shows in which journalists talk to experts, journalists, and others about current issues
  • Documentary Film
  • Streaming Video of TED Talks
  • Podcasts

InterLibrary Loan

Need something from another library? Try an InterLibrary Loan request.

  • Note that ILL is generally allowed for digital materials.