I am a Friend of the Library in my library system and even with the email news they send out every few weeks, I still had no idea about the short film competition that has been going on. I wish I knew about it, not so I could enter a film but so I could go to the film screenings.

I found out about the films in an American Library Association Newsletter after the fact. According to an article in the area newspaper, 70 entries were received. Films could be no longer than 5 minutes, had to be shot primarily in a Twin Cities area library, and had to feature a library card in at least one scene.

Awards were given for best film, best acting, best special effects, most original storyline, best use of a library card, and emerging filmmaker. Some of the winning films are up on YouTube and collected at the competition website. I haven’t gotten a chance to view them all yet but the three I have seen, “The Library Effect,” “Man with No Library Card,” and “Butterflies,” are all wonderful.

The competition winner is “The Library Effect.” For easy viewing, I have embedded it below. Enjoy!