Fairfax County Public Library's partnership with local PBS member station WETA provides easy access to free video streaming services* for FCPL’s visitors, customers and cardholders. The mission and vision of public television and public libraries are closely aligned – to inform, engage and inspire our communities with trusted sources of information and entertainment that respect a diversity of views, culture and heritage.
CELEBRATING AMERICA’S 250TH
(All six episodes, free now through 7/12) Thirteen American colonies unite in rebellion, win an eight-year war to secure their independence and establish a new form of government that would inspire democratic movements at home and around the globe. What begins as a political clash between colonists and the British government grows into a bloody struggle that will engage more than two dozen nations and forever change the world.
Continue your exploration of America’s 250-year history with this recommended collection:
- The Civil War - Between 1861 and 1865, Americans made war on each other and killed each other in great numbers if only to become the kind of country that could no longer conceive of how that was possible. What began as a bitter dispute over Union and States' Rights, ended as a struggle over the meaning of freedom in America.
- Rogue History (3 seasons) - It’s been said that history is written by those in power. But what about the outlaws, outcasts and rogues? What if they had their say? Rogue History, a digital series produced by PBS Digital Studios and PBS North Carolina, shakes the dust off the history books to unravel myths, unearth narratives and discover fresh perspectives.
- The War - The story of the Second World War through the personal accounts of a handful of men and women from four American towns. The war touched the lives of every family on every street in every town in America and demonstrated that in extraordinary times, there are no ordinary lives.
- George Washington’s Mount Vernon: Preserving the Legacy - George Washington’s sprawling estate, Mount Vernon, is a persevering symbol of our first president’s life story and this renovation has revealed new insights about the private person behind the public figure.
UNEARTH A STORY: WALKING WITH DINOSAURS
What better way to celebrate FCPL's Summer Reading Adventure theme "Unearth A Story" than with fun dinosaur facts and videos?
After millions of years, six incredible dinosaurs have come back to life. In these short 5 to 6-minute videos, paleontologists discover the lives behind the fossils, using the latest scientific methods to uncover stories of survival, triumph, family and even romance.
- How We Solve Jurassic Mysteries from One Bizarre Fossil
- When Dinosaurs Ruled the Arctic Circle
- How Extreme Weather Is Revealing — And Destroying — Dinosaur Fossils
- Did a Meteor Kill All the Dinosaurs?
- Did Dinosaurs Abandon Their Young to Help Them Survive?
- How to Find a Dinosaur that Hollywood Dreamed Up
- How the Walking with Dinosaurs Team Brought a Dinosaur Back to Life
- How Walking with Dinosaurs Created the Most Accurate Dinos Ever
- Were Dinosaur Brains Designed For Combat?
- The Dinosaurs that Could Cross the Atlantic
- How an Evolutionary Arms Race Created Bizarre Dino Designs
- We Were Wrong About Spinosaurus
CURATED BY DC/DOX
Enjoy some of these selections from DC's premier documentary festival!
- 51st State - An award-winning short film that explores the emerging national issue of D.C. statehood from the personal perspective of one of Washington, D.C.’s youngest and most vibrant Gen Z leaders.
- Projecting Protest - Winner of the 2026 News & Documentary Emmy for Outstanding Short Film. Light projection as a form of protest, what some call “temporary graffiti,” has been on the rise over the past decade. Yet, it remains largely unregulated by American law, sparking ongoing debate over whether it truly qualifies as “free speech.”
- The Legacy of Lee's Flower Shop - Lee's Flower and Card Shop, the oldest Black-owned flower shop in Washington, D.C. has planted seeds of wisdom and perseverance in the District since 1945.
- The Hustle of Funny - Follow six comedians from the DMV as they navigate the highs and lows of building careers on the D.C. comedy circuit.
- A Man Who Knits - Avid male knitting enthusiast Gene Throwe keeps the spirit of his late grandmother alive, overcoming gender stereotypes and finding purpose and deep connection within the seemingly mundane practice of needlework.