From my experience working in a large public library system (though not at or near the managing end of collection development,) films for branch circulation are bought in bulk usually via through a vendor who works nationally. (This is partly responsible for the bland look of a lot of branch library DVD collections.) Some examples of these vendors: Action Media (http://www.actionlibrarymedia.com/); Midwest Tape (http://www.midwesttapes.com/jsp/moreinfo/). I'm not sure what exactly's involved in getting one's own film accepted by one of these mega-vendors -- that would be great to know, and I hope another RadReffer w/more vendor experience can help fill that side in...

Films can also be purchased by libraries with performance rights for special collections or with a program performance in mind -- and these are often aquired in preview copy and reviewed by a committe of librarians before being purchased, because they cost more and/or because they're more independent... something a typical mass-DVD distributor would not supply. The best way to get your film considered for purchase in this way is probably to call the head of the media (sometimes called "non-print") and/or film division of the library/libraries you think should have your film. In the case of the New York Public Library you could get that person's contact info from the Performing Arts Library's Circulating Films/Music floor (http://www.nypl.org/research/lpa/circ/sound.html); in the case of Brooklyn Public Library try the info desk at the A/V room in Central (http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/arts.jsp). You can find equivalent desks in other libraries through their websites. What you want from the librarian who answers is the name and contact info for the person who selects films for a preview committee *or* the person in charge of DVD collection development for their system.

And, in general: DO NOT waste your resources sending copies of your film or advertising for your film to every branch of a system. Public Libraries generally order material centrally, and that central ordering person or department is who you need to reach. Once there, the more you can pitch your film from a 'how it will be used' perspective the better. (i.e.: students and teachers can use this for Women's History Month projects... think how timely this is, heading towards an election... doesn't *everybody* need to know how to build a straw-bale house? etc)

Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

I think it's also worth contacting an independent film company whose materials have been sucessfully placed in libraries to ask them about library-oriented promotion strategies. Two NYC-area examples are Paper Tiger Television and Third World Newsreel .