About the film
Are libraries outliving their purpose? What is their function in a society with the Internet and electronic reading devices? While overall use has grown in recent years, certain communities are reducing hours and closing branches or entire systems. Some ask voters and donors to dedicate dollars to library services, while others argue that the Internet and electronic readers have rendered libraries obsolete, not something taxpayers should have to support.
Watch an overview
Get involved
The production is currently raising funds to expand the scope beyond Oregon, to help cover expenses such as travel, as well as post-production costs. Get in touch by emailing info (at symbol) librarymovie.com.
Where it began
The idea for a documentary about libraries began as producer/director Patricia Snyder was involved in grassroots efforts to re-open libraries closed in Josephine County, Oregon. The county’s economy was built historically on timber dollars, and the decline in harvests led to a reduction in the county budget. County commissioners voted to close the library system in May 2007 after voters decided against forming a library district.
The library in Grants Pass, Oregon, is now open, run by the nonprofit Josephine Community Libraries.
After being closed for months, a newspaper column by Kevin Widdison, urging people to act to open the libraries again, stirred such interest that it led to a community meeting. Patricia was asked to help during the meeting, where those attending decided to organize into a group to explore options for opening the library again, and that led to her involvement in the community effort. Along the way, group members had many discussions about the role of libraries, how they are funded, and their future. Josephine County opened a library system again in December 2008, managed by the private, nonprofit organization Josephine Community Libraries.
About the filmmaker
Patricia Snyder, producer/director/writer
Patricia Snyder at the Columbia Gorge International Film Festival.
An award-winning journalist with more than 16 years of experience, Patricia Snyder is making her directorial debut with a documentary film about the role of libraries in modern society and how they are funded. Libraries captured an important place in her life when she became involved in a grassroots community effort to re-open libraries in her home community in Oregon. She has been involved in independent film for seven years, working on narrative feature and short films as writer, assistant director, script supervisor, and in casting. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from the University of Montana. Her work has been honored by film festivals, for best screenplay and best narrative feature, with the Freedom Forum’s Robert F. Kennedy Award and by the Society of Professional Journalists and the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association for reporting in areas including investigative research, social issues, consumer, government, lifestyles and breaking news.