You Can Stream Thousands of Movies for Free With a New York Public Library Card. Starting Friday, anyone with a New York Public Library or Brooklyn Public Library will be able to stream thousands of awesome movies, including the entire Criterion Collection. Why Because libraries are awesome, thats why. Truth be told, New York is playing a bit of catch up, after Los Angeles offered its public library card holders streaming movie privileges last month. Both cities offer this great new perk through Kanopy, a streaming video service that works with public libraries and universities all over the country. Even if you dont live in New York or LA, theres a chance your local public library also offers this service. Go to Kanopys website to see if youre in luck. Were not talking about free access to a bunch crappy movies youve never heard of. Get help planning your next trip with travel ideas, destination reviews, videos, travel tips and industry news. Breaking news, weather, analysis and information from the Omaha WorldHerald about Omaha events, local weather, sports, schools, crime, government, health and. In addition to the Criterion Collection, youll find indie hits like 2 Days in Paris, classic masterpieces like Day of the Dead, and award winning documentaries like I Am Not Your Negro. The New York Public Library deal does have some limitations, though. You can only stream 1. NYPL card and just six if you have a BPL card. Its unclear if Brooklynites can double up and use both library cards to watch 1. On the bright side, you can stream movies from Kanopy to any device. Do you live in Los Angeles and pay for online access to the New York Times Have I got a cheapskate Read more Read. You can apply online for a New York Public Library card here and a Brooklyn Public Library card here. Information about LA Public Library cards can be found here. And dont forget Not only do these library cards offer free movies, you can borrow books for free, too. Free knowledgeGothamist.