Past

Abstract

Abstract The use of film in public libraries has a long history nearly as old as the medium itself—a past we must consider in order to help us better imagine the future of film and media in school, public, and academic libraries. Libraries constantly reinvent themselves to align with the times. Amid ever-rapid changes in media and technology, looking to the past offers steadying perspective. During the 20th century, as television and film rose in popularity and significance, librarians and educators gradually adapted to society’s shift from a print to a visual culture and recognized that audiovisual media, including radio, film, and television, could promote learning. In the early 1900s, film programs were already being used to promote the library as well as generate interest in books. Public libraries were also experiencing reform as they shifted from primarily serving academics to catering to the needs and interests of the general public. During the same time, debate over the positive and negative influence of the moving image and effects of screens was already underway. Gradually over decades, movies have found their place in library collections, from the documentary-style educational film to blockbusters on VHS tape. And as the popular format for film and media shifts to digital, librarians are faced with the tasks of preservation and digitization of physical collections.