Media Library

Media Library provides the following options:

1. Click Add to upload a media file or record using your webcam.
   
   Note: Create Presentation is not currently available.
   
   
2. When searching, filter content based on audio/video type. More than one filter can be used. Filters include:
   • Content Type: Audio, video, or both.
   • Source: Where content was added from. Multiple filters can be selected.
     • Content: Uploaded from the Content tool.
     • Media Library: Uploaded or created in the Media Library.
     • Audio or Video Note: Content created in Audio and Video Note.
     • Capture App (not available).
     • Imported: Added from course imports.
     • Other: Content added prior to the addition of source tracking.
   • Date Modified: This changes to Date Deleted on the Recycle Bin screen.
   • Date Created
     
     
3. Search for all content in your Media Library repository.
   
   
4. Click options (...) to:
   • Preview content.
   • Download audio-video content to a device.
   • Edit video timelines, add chapters, and create manual or automated captions using the editor.
   • Rename content
   • Edit Description.
   • Delete content.

The Delete and Recycle bin options allow creators to not only delete content but also to restore files for up to 90 days.

Upload directly to the Media Library

1. To upload audio/video files directly to the Media Library, go to My Courses > Tools > Media Library.
   
   
2. Click on Add > Upload File.
   
   
3. Navigate to, and select the file on your computer, then click on Open. You will see the upload progress in the lower-right of the page. Keep the page open until the upload is finished. When the upload is complete, you will see the file in your list.

Note: Create Presentation is not currently available.

In Content

1. In the course shell where you wish to insert the video, go to Content, then the module where you wish to add it.
2. Click on Existing Activities > Media Library.

3. Click on the file you wish to add. It will appear in the module.

If you have a lot of files in your Media Library, you can type part or all of the file name into the search box at the top of the popup box to help you find it.

Reuse a video for feedback on an assignment

If you have previously uploaded or recorded a video containing general feedback, which you want to reuse with multiple students, this is possible.

1. Evaluate the student as usual. On the evaluation screen, at the bottom of the evaluation panel, click on the “Link to Existing Activity” icon.

2. Scroll down the list of tools, and click on Media Library.

3. If you see the item you wish to use in the list, click on it. If you don’t, use the search box to type part or all of the name, to narrow your search, then click on the name.

4. You will now see the file in the Attachments section, near the bottom of the evaluation panel.

5. Remember to either Save Draft (if you’re still grading) or Publish (to push the grade to the gradebook), to save your changes.

Note: you can also use this process to attach a previously-uploaded video in other locations in D2L Brightspace, such as as an attachment to an Assignment (perhaps as a resource for the project) or an Announcement.

You may have previously uploaded a file that was automatically named by your device, such as a video recorded on your smartphone, but the filename is not descriptive. It’s a better experience for your students if your files have relevant names. It’s quite easy to rename a file in the Media Library.

1. Go to My Courses > Tools > Media Library.

2. Locate the file, either by scrolling, using filters or the search box. To the far right of the file name, click on options [...], and select Rename.

3. Type in the new name and click on Save.

Keep in mind that the Media Library contains audio/video files for all of your courses, so avoid using the same name for multiple files, and if content is course-specific, you may wish to include the course code in the name, so it’s easier to find the correct file later.

4. You will now see the new name and the time/date it was modified.

Editing the description works in a very similar way, but select Edit Description from the options [...] menu.

Please note: A piece of content that is updated, changes everywhere the content appears in Brightspace. For example, if you want the content to have a different name in one course, upload the file again, and rename that copy. (There is currently no “copy” or “duplicate” functionality, though that may change in the future.)

Delete a file from Media Library

1. Go to My Courses > Tools > Media Library.

2. To the right of the file you wish to delete, click on options [...], then Delete.

3. In the popup, click on Delete. The file disappears from your list.

Note: All deleted files remain in the Recycle Bin for 90 days, in case you need to restore them. After the 90 days, they are permanently deleted.

Delete multiple files from Media Library

1. Go to My Courses > Tools > Media Library.

2. Click the checkboxes to the left of the files you wish to delete.

3. In the upper-right area of the page, click on options [...], then Delete.

4. In the popup, click on Delete. The files disappear from your list.

Note: All deleted files remain in the Recycle Bin for 90 days, in case you need to restore them. After 90 days, they are permanently deleted.

Restore a file that has been deleted from Media Library

It is possible to restore a deleted file from the Recycle Bin, if it was deleted within the past 90 days.

1. Go to My Courses > Tools > Media Library.

2. On the left, click on Recycle Bin.

3. In the Recycle Bin, you will see a list of files that have been deleted within the past 90 days.

To the right of the file you wish to restore, click on options [...], then Restore.

The file disappears from the file list in Recycle Bin. Click on My Media on the left, and you’ll see the file has appeared at the top of your file list.

Restore multiple files that have been deleted from Media Library

It is possible to restore a deleted file from the Recycle Bin, if it was deleted within the past 90 days.

1. Go to My Courses > Tools > Media Library.

2. On the left, click on Recycle Bin.

3. In the Recycle Bin, you will see a list of files that have been deleted within the past 90 days.

Click the checkboxes to the left of the files you wish to restore.

4. In the upper-right area of the page, click on options [...], then Restore.

The files disappear from the file list in Recycle Bin. Click on My Media on the left, and you’ll see the files have appeared at the top of your file list.

Often, the thumbnail image is not enough for you to identify a file. You can use Preview, to open the media player, so you can watch or listen to your file.

1. Go to My Courses > Tools > Media Library.

2. To the right of the file you wish to preview, click on options [...], then Preview.

3. A popup window will open the embedded media player, and you review your media file. Simply close the popup window when you are done.

If you want to use your media files outside of D2L Brightspace, or save a backup copy, you can use Download to do this.

1. Go to My Courses > Tools > Media Library.

2. To the right of the file you wish to download, click on options [...], then Download.

The file download will automatically start. You can find the file in the default location on your hard drive where your browser saves all downloads. The file name may be somewhat cryptic-looking, so we recommend immediately opening your download folder, and rename the file to something more meaningful.

You have more control if you create videos on your device, edit, save, and then upload to your Media Library in D2L. However, if you wish to record and save directly into your Media Library, using your webcam, it is possible.

1. To upload audio/video files directly to the Media Library, go to My Courses > Tools > Media Library.

2. Click on Add > Record Webcam.

3. You will notice a “Record Webcam” popup window open.

You may not notice a 2nd popup window appear, requesting your permission to use your camera and your microphone. You must click on Allow in the 2nd window, or you will not be able to proceed.

4. Make sure your webcam is on, aimed correctly, and you are ready to go.

If you wish to record sound only, with no video, toggle the Audio only button.

Click on New Recording to start recording.

5. Click on Stop Recording to end your recording.

6. Click on Next to proceed.

7. Fill in all fields, including Title, Description and Audio Language. If you want D2L to automatically generate captions, select the Automatically generate captions from audio checkbox.

Click on Finish to save your work.

Depending on the length of your video, it may take a while to process. When the video is finished processing, you will see it at the top of your list of files.

Open the Edit screen

1. Go to My Courses > Tools > Media Library.

2. To the right of the file you wish to edit, click on options [...], then Edit.

About the Edit screen

1. If you experience problems playing a video after upload, try clicking on the Optimize for Streaming button. This converts the file to a format that is more compatible with Brightspace and resolves most playback issues. Keep in mind that it may take a while for the file conversion to occur.
   
   
2. Review your media file in the embedded media player.
   
   
3. The Table of Contents tab is where you can add chapters to your media to indicate meaningful segments or changes of topic. Chapters appear above the timecode when a user hovers over the timeline. Keep in mind that chapters are not clickable and do not impact playback.
   
   
4. Click on the language dropdown to set the language.
   
   
5. The Closed Captions tab is where you can create auto-captions, edit captions, or upload a caption file.
   
   
6. The timeline allows you to see where you are in the media, and is used when editing the timeline.
   
   
7. The editing tools are used for seeking, marking and cutting when editing the timeline.
   
   
8. By default, the timestamp of the most recent version of your media file is shown. This is the version that appears in your course shells. However, if you need to roll back to an older version, click on the down arrow beside the date, and select the version you wish to review and restore. Save draft to revert to that version of your media file.

1. To auto-generate captions, make your way to the edit screen, then click on the Closed Captions tab.

2. Select your language from the dropdown.

3. Click on Auto-Generate.

4. Read the warning in the popup window. This explains that any past captions for this language will be overwritten by the auto-generated captions, as soon as you click on the button. There is no way to undo this. If you want to proceed, click on Auto-Generate.

5. While the captions are being generated, you will see a status message that indicates that you need to wait until the process is complete before you can proceed with any editing. If you want to, it is safe to go to another page in Brightspace and do something else, then return later.

If you wait, when editing is complete, the main edit screen will reload. Click on the Closed Captions tab to view and edit (if desired) your captions.

Note that the Save Draft and Publish buttons are greyed out because auto-generated captions are automatically saved (and overwrite any previous captions in that language).

1. To upload captions, make your way to the edit screen, then click on the Closed Captions tab.

2. Select your language from the dropdown.

3. Click on Upload.

4. Navigate to the .vtt file on your hard drive, and click on Open.

5. It may take a while for your captions to be processed, depending on the length of your media file. When the processing is done, you will see your captions appear, with timestamps, in the main area of the Closed Captions tab.

6. Click on Save Draft if you will be making additional changes, or click on Finish to save all of your changes. You will see a warning that if you proceed, all instances of this media file will be updated.

At this point, it’s a good idea to review your media with the captions on, to make sure everything appears as expected. You may need to make some edits, to finetune the timing, fix typos, or fix line lengths that don’t fit on the screen.

If you have created caption files in multiple languages, repeat the process for each language, selecting the correct language each time.

1. To edit captions, make your way to the edit screen, then click on the Closed Captions tab.

2. Select your language from the dropdown.

3. Click on the desired caption and edit as needed.

4. To adjust the timing of a caption, open the timing panel by clicking on the right arrow, located to the right of the caption.

5. Click and type to change the time (format: HH:MM:SS.SSS), or click on the clock icon to synchronize the time to the position indicated in the media player and on the timeline.

You can use the media player to repeatedly review and finetune your captions and timing

6. If you need to add a new caption line, click on the caption above where you want to insert the new line. Then, at the bottom of the caption panel, type the new caption into the text box, and click on the + symbol to add the caption.

You will see your new caption inserted into the timeline.

7. Remember to periodically click on Save Draft to save your work-in-progress, and click on Publish when you are done making changes. Keep in mind that when you click on Publish, your changes are updated in all locations in your course shells where this media file appears.

1. To add chapters, make your way to the edit screen, then click on the Table of Contents tab.

2. Select your language from the dropdown.

3. Locate the black timeline bar below the media player. Slide/click your cursor to locate the place on the timeline where you want your chapter to start.

4. In the Table of Contents tab, near the bottom, type the chapter title into the text box, and click the Plus (+) icon, to add your chapter marker.

5. You can now see the new chapter listed in the Table of Contents.

6. Repeat to add additional chapters.

7. Remember to click on Save Draft often, to ensure your work is saved. Click on Publish when you are finished, to save all of your changes, which will appear anywhere the media file exists in your course shells.

1. Go to My Courses > Tools > Media Library.

2. To the right of the file you wish to edit, click on options [...], then Edit.

Editing tools

There are 3 tools that you will use when editing the timeline:

1. Seek (arrow)
2. Mark (line)
3. Cut (scissor)

Trim the beginning of your video

If there is some extra content at the beginning of your video that is not needed, here’s how to remove it:

1. Either use the media player to play the video, pausing at the exact spot where you wish to start the video, OR click on the Seek icon, then on the black timeline bar below the media player, drag your mouse along the timeline, to the exact spot where you wish to mark the video.

2. Click on the Mark icon, then click on the location on the timeline, to mark the end point of the segment you wish to remove.

If you wish to remove a section in the middle of the video, you need to mark the start and end locations of that segment.

3. Now, you need to select which portion of the video you want “removed”. Click on the Cut icon. Then on the timeline, click on the portion you wish to remove. It should then be indicated in red.

Note that the video will be edited to the nearest full second. This editing tool is not capable of more precision.

4. If you wish to edit additional portions of the video, repeat the above steps for each portion. Keep in mind that this tool is not suitable for significant or fine editing.

5. D2L does not automatically save your work. Remember to regularly click on Save Draft to save your work-in-progress, and when you are ready to leave the page, or are completely finished editing the video, click on Finish.

You will notice that you continue to see the entire video in the editor, but the removed portions appear in red on the timeline. When your students view the video, they will only see the portions that are indicated in black on the timeline.

If, after saving, the playback of your video is not smooth, click on the Optimize for Streaming button in the upper left, and wait for the video to process. This should improve the quality.

After editing captions, chapters, or the timeline, you may discover that you made a mistake, and want to go back to an older version of your video, and try again. As long as you have saved your changes regularly, this is fairly easy.

1. If you are not already on the edit page for your video, go to My Courses > Tools > Media Library.

2. To the right of the file you wish to edit, click on options [...], then Edit.

3. In the upper-right area of the page, click on the date dropdown, and then select the version you wish to revert to.

4. Proceed with making edits to captions, chapters or the timeline, and remember to click on either Save Draft or Finish to save your work-in-progress (and create a new version).

Sometimes, you may wish to watch a video at a slower or faster speed.

In the lower-right of the video player, click on the Settings gear icon, then click on Playback speed.

Select the desired speed, then play the video.

If a video has captions included, you can turn them on.

In the lower-right of the video player, click on the Settings gear icon, then click on Captions.

By default, captions are off. 

To turn captions on, click on the language you wish to see. Only languages which have been added will appear in the list.

To turn captions off, select Off.

Play the video, and captions will appear near the bottom of the video area.

Sometimes, it’s easier to review a video if you view the full transcript, rather than simply watching it with the captions turned on.

If a transcript has been uploaded, in the lower-right of the video player, click on the Settings gear icon, then click on View Transcript.

The layout of the video area will change. You will see the video in the upper-left corner, and the transcript to the right of it. As you play the video, the relevant portion of the transcript is highlighted.

If needed, you can download the transcript, by clicking on Download, then select the format you want.

You can open either .txt or .vtt files in any plain text editor, such as Notepad. If you will be using the file to edit or (re)upload captions for a video, you must use .vtt format.

To return to the regular view, click on the Settings gear icon, then click on Hide Transcript.

Students may wish to download a video so they can watch it from their own computer while offline.

Click on the Settings gear icon, then click on Download. 

The video will be saved to the default download folder on the user’s device. Keep in mind that large video files will take a while to download.

NOTE: If you do not want students to download your videos, it’s not possible to control this within D2L. To prevent downloads, you would need to upload the video to Google Drive, set the sharing to view only for your class, then link to the video in D2L.

If you have a slow internet connection, some videos have a setting to allow you to adjust the quality. By streaming a lower quality version of the video, playback will be smoother.

Please note that this option does not appear for all videos.

To adjust video quality, click on the Settings gear icon, then click on Quality.

Select the desired quality level. HD is higher quality, and SD is a slightly lower quality.