Alexander Street

Audio Drama: The L.A. Theatre Works Collections delivers some of the most significant dramatic literature of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries by leading actors from around the world, all from the curated archive of the nation’s premiere radio theatre company and recorded specifically for online listening.

Smithsonian Global Sound for Libraries provides an extensive virtual encyclopedia of unique American folk, blues, soul, jazz, and protest songs, as well as a broad range of world music through partnership with Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Asian American Drama contains 252 plays by 42 playwrights, together with detailed, fielded information on related productions, theaters, production companies, and more. Some 50% of these plays have never been published before. The collection begins with the works of Sadakichi Hartmann in the late 19th century and progresses to the writings of contemporary playwrights, such as Philip Kan Gotanda, Elizabeth Wong, and Jeannie Barroga.

Black Drama: Third Edition contains the full text of more than 1,700 plays written from the mid-1800s to the present by more than 200 playwrights from North America, English-speaking Africa, the Caribbean, and other African diaspora countries.

Contemporary World Drama brings together new work from our existing playwright partners alongside work from up-and-coming playwrights from around the world, including recently produced world premieres, previously unpublished works, etc. from every continent.

Latin American Drama is a one-of-a-kind database with plays written by Latin American playwrights in the 19th-21st centuries. Besides serving as a rich resource for literature scholars, the collection also supports the study of American history, ethnic diversity, immigrations issues, and political history.

North American Indian Drama: Second Edition contains 244 plays by 48 playwrights representing the stories and creative energies of American Indian and First Nation playwrights of the twentieth century.

North American Women's Drama: Second Edition contains 1,517 plays by 330 playwrights and brings these writings the attention they deserve, by publishing the full text of plays written from Colonial times to the present by more than 100 women from the United States and Canada.

Twentieth Century North American Drama: Second Edition contains 1,905 plays by 419 playwrights, and more than 150 of the plays are published here for the first time, including a number by major authors.

You can access the entire Video Collection; sign in through Mendocino County Library and your library card number.

American History in Video provides notable historic moments on film. Includes early newsreels, documentaries from leading video content producers such as PBS, California Newsreel, Pennebaker Hegedus Films, and others.

BBC Horizon Collection includes over 150 documentaries – each about an hour long – on STEAM related subjects including astronomy, physics, math, the environment, disease, and more.

BBC Literacy Adaptations in Video contains two collections of dozens of television programs and full-length movies, encompassing over 500 individual videos bringing English literature classics to life, such as the Colin Firth version of Pride and Prejudice.

Broadway On Demand Collection takes viewers from behind the stage to the bright lights of Broadway through masterful plays, musicals, and dance performances, but it also provides a diverse range of unique behind-the-scenes series, documentaries, instructional videos, and more.

The CNN Video Collection includes CNN's specials and feature programming on business, economics, technology, environmental studies, health, women's studies, and human rights.

Dance Online: Dance in Video presents an extensive collection of performances, instructional materials, documentaries, and interviews, showcasing high-caliber performances from the greatest dance companies and performers worldwide, spanning from traditional ballet to hip hop, street dance, and modern dance, offering a unique opportunity for to study and analyze the fusion between styles.

Classical Music in Video provide an extensive collection of influential performances and documentaries demonstrating the continuous development of classical music, spanning eras from canonical masters to modern composers.

Opera in Video offers a curated selection of the world's most significant opera performances, featuring top artists, conductors, and venues, providing a valuable resource for studying opera's rich canon.

Performance in Video is the largest and most comprehensive video resource for the study of classical music. Users experience classical music through 3,500 titles, including 200 full operas and 75 dance titles, as well as masterclasses, documentaries, and interviews.

The Quest TV Collection, co-created by Quincy Jones & Reza Ackbaraly, offers valuable materials for music history and cultural studies through the preservation of diverse live performances, spanning the evolution of jazz and beyond — representing funk, soul, hip-hop, folk, indie, electronic, blues, and other eclectic world genres.

National Theatre Collections provides contemporary video productions, modern reinterpretations of classic all featuring acclaimed actors and directors of the highest caliber along with exclusive behind-the-scenes archival content.

The Royal Shakespeare Company Collection with high-definition recordings of The Bard's dramatic canon, featuring the world's finest Shakespearean actors and directors, along with supplementary teaching materials, the Royal Shakespeare Company Collection helps bring Shakespeare to life in the modern age.

Theatre in Video offers access to hundreds of the world's most important plays, documentaries, and instructional materials, as well as interviews with prominent directors, designers, writers, and actors, providing an authentic behind-the-scenes look at various productions.

I see a video or audio title marked "Sample." How do I access this title?

Make sure you are signed into Alexander Street using the "Get Started" steps above with your library card number. If you are logged in and still see "Sample" it means that the Library does not have access to that particular title. Mendocino County Library only offers access to the audio and video collections linked above. Tip: Try limiting your search results to not include sample content.

I'm trying to watch a video and it says "The Mendocino County Library - CA does not have access to this item." How do I watch it?

The Mendocino County Library only offers access to the audio, drama, and video collections linked above.

Can I download a video to watch it offline?

No, Alexander Street videos are not downloadable. You will need an internet connection in order to stream all content.

Please contact your local branch or Library Technical Services for assistance.

You can also browse the Alexander Street Help section or access video tutorials including:

• How to Search Collections / Buscar en Colecciones
• Using the New Video Player
• Creating a Custom Playlist