# How to get access to the footage online \[Reagan library\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 22, 2022, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-access-to-the-footage-online-reagan-library/973621 "2022-10-22T04:30:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cannonkuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@cannonkuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cannonkuo)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-access-to-the-footage-online-reagan-library/973621/1 "2022-10-22T04:30:18Z")
I found the website: [WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY: NEWS SUMMARY VIDEOTAPE COLLECTION, 1981-82 | Ronald Reagan](https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/video/white-house-communications-agency-news-summary-videotape-collection-1981-82) containing some videotape footage that I want to watch. May I know how I can get access to the footage online? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-access-to-the-footage-online-reagan-library/973621/2 "2022-10-22T04:41:15Z")
You may be out of luck. It says the videos are still under copyright (copyright lasts 95 years these days); the library may well be using physical media. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![cannonkuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@cannonkuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cannonkuo)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-access-to-the-footage-online-reagan-library/973621/3 "2022-10-22T05:02:51Z")
Thank you for your instant reply. Does that mean I have to go the library in person to apply for watching the videos I need? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-access-to-the-footage-online-reagan-library/973621/4 "2022-10-22T09:10:08Z")
It’s not a lot, and you’ll have to do some detective work yourself in matching up the titles with the stories, but [archive.org](http://archive.org) has several hundred hours of news footage from the period: [News & Public Affairs : Free Movies : Free Download, Borrow and Streaming : Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/newsandpublicaffairs?&and%5B%5D=year%3A%221981%22) [News & Public Affairs : Free Movies : Free Download, Borrow and Streaming : Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/newsandpublicaffairs?&and%5B%5D=year%3A%221982%22) There’s some obvious stuff that matches up, like the Iran Hostage Crisis, abortion protests, etc. Looks like a lot of footage is from WMAR-TV, which was CBS up to Mar 1981, and NBC afterward. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-access-to-the-footage-online-reagan-library/973621/5 "2022-10-22T12:52:53Z")
[Moderating] I know that isn’t spam, but the title looks a lot like it would be, so I edited it to hopefully be clearer. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-access-to-the-footage-online-reagan-library/973621/6 "2022-10-22T14:10:07Z")
> [@cannonkuo](#): > > May I know how I can get access to the footage online? You probably don’t access it online. Research archives often maintain restricted “by prior arrangement” access to their materials. > [@](#): > > If you have any questions please contact the Reagan Library audiovisual staff. There’s a contract link in that paragraph. Maybe ask them? ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-access-to-the-footage-online-reagan-library/973621/7 "2022-10-22T16:27:35Z")
If you are a journalist, writer, or reporter, you can probably request access to specific material for an article or publication, but I doubt they will let you just peruse their library for the heck of it. I could be wrong… and I often am. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-access-to-the-footage-online-reagan-library/973621/8 "2022-10-22T18:54:14Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > There’s a contract link in that paragraph. Erg. Too late to edit. “Contact”, not “contract”. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-access-to-the-footage-online-reagan-library/973621/9 "2022-10-22T19:40:06Z")
According to the page about the archive you are looking at: > **White House Communications Agency (WHCA) videotapes:** 1981-89 (6,917 items) > The WHCA collection consists of President Reagan’s televised appearances on various networks. The videotapes are arranged chronologically and include speeches, press briefings and programs featuring President Reagan, Nancy Reagan and White House staff; daily news reports from major news networks, Republican and Democratic National Conventions (1984 and 1988) and confirmation hearings. The recordings were created by the WHCA staff for White House staff use and historical purposes. Viewing facilities are available at the Library and copies may be purchased. However, the majority of the collection is subject to copyright restrictions. > [Order Form](https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/public/archives/audiovisual/videoorder.pdf) > [Order Information and Pricing](https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/av-order-info) > [https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/audiovisual/white-house-communications-agency](https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/audiovisual/white-house-communications-agency) ---
**Author:** ![cannonkuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@cannonkuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cannonkuo)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2022, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-access-to-the-footage-online-reagan-library/973621/10 "2022-10-23T16:21:19Z")
Thank you all. I appreciate all your responses.