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Join us for a hands-on seminar where attendees will learn about the library's 16mm Film Collection, enjoy curated screenings of select films, and get experience operating an old-school film projector! Registration required. For more information, contact 305-375-5572 or specialcollections@mdpls.org. 14 yrs.+
About the Film Collection
The Miami-Dade Public Library System holds one of the few remaining circulating 16mm film collections in the country. Dating back to 1956, the collection was developed as a teaching resource intended for public programming. Its holdings include acclaimed feature films such as Rashomon (1950), Alphaville (1965), The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), Pandora’s Box (1928), and 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).
What makes this collection especially distinctive is its wide array of short films, ranging from experimental works by notable artists such as Len Lye, Luis Buñuel, Homer Groening, Kenneth Anger, Sergei Eisenstein, and John Whitney, to educational films produced by organizations including Pyramid Films, Xerox, McGraw-Hill, and the National Film Board of Canada.
The collection also features Florida-specific titles, including Enchanted (1982), Metropolis in the Sun (1989), The Everglades (1970), A Hurricane Named Betsy (1965), Miccosukee Indian Friends (1975), Salesman (1969), and more.
Films may be checked out for a two-week loan period by Miami-Dade Public Library cardholders. Please note that the library does not circulate equipment or projectors; patrons must supply their own. Films may also be viewed on-site through a research visit scheduled with the Division of Special Collections & Archives.
About the Division of Special Collections & Archives
The Miami-Dade Public Library System’s Division of Special Collections & Archives preserves rare and irreplaceable historical materials for the benefit of both the public and the scholarly community. The Division oversees the Helen Muir Florida Collection, the 16mm Film Collection, the Cuban Collection of Rare Books & Ephemera, the Genealogy Collection, the Vasari Project, and a selection of rare and antiquarian books dating back to the 17th century.
The Division’s primary goal is to provide public access to its collections upon request. Its holdings include rare books, original manuscripts, more than 18,000 photographs, prints, artifacts, audiovisual materials, and electronic media.
AGE GROUP: | Young Adult (12-18) | Older Adults (55+) | Adult (19+) |
EVENT TYPE: | Special Event | Special Collections | Movies | In-Person | History | Education |
TAGS: | YOUmake | Special Collections | In-Person | Hobbies & Special Interest | Education | Cultural Events | Art |
| Mon, Dec 15 | 9:30AM to 8:00PM |
| Tue, Dec 16 | 9:30AM to 8:00PM |
| Wed, Dec 17 | 9:30AM to 8:00PM |
| Thu, Dec 18 | 9:30AM to 8:00PM |
| Fri, Dec 19 | 9:30AM to 6:00PM |
| Sat, Dec 20 | 9:30AM to 6:00PM |
| Sun, Dec 21 | Closed |