In 1948, the Carnegie Corporation gave a $15,000 grant to the Missouri State Library. The grant was given to create a film program that would demonstrate if a pattern of state-wide film circulation was possible. The idea of the program would be a film-sharing cooperative. Each participating library would receive a package of 13 films a month. At the end of the month, the films would be sent back to the State Library for inspection before being sent to the next participant.
The project originally started with nine county libraries, the St. Louis Public Library, and the State Library in June of 1948. In September of the same year, the first films were circulated amongst the libraries.
The Carnegie Corporation grant was for a three-year period. During that period, the Missouri Libraries Film Cooperative experienced tremendous growth. Participating libraries grew from the 11 original members to 31 members by 1953. The number of titles grew from 1,162 to 3,355 and the total of population served improved from 30.9% to 41.6%.
In 1953, the Carnegie grant ran out, and the Missouri State Library announced that it could no longer afford to continue the Cooperative. Luckily, the Missouri Libraries Film Cooperative became a legal corporation under state law. It continued to operate under Missouri law and the state handled the financial burden of the Cooperative. The Missouri State Library served as the fiscal agent and bookkeeper. The Cooperative continued to grow, reaching up to 34 libraries across the state with up to 43.7% of the population served by the Cooperative.
The Missouri Libraries Film Cooperative was one of the first and largest film cooperatives in the nation. The cooperative sent out up to 14 films a month to each participating library. The films sent were picked to satisfy as many age groups and interests as possible. In addition to the monthly packages, member libraries could order specific titles from a special spot booking collection. The Cooperative served Missouri libraries for 48 years before dissolving in 1996.
Nina Smith, a member of the State Library team in 1954, checks and rewinds a film in the inspection center at the Missouri State Library.
