Obtaining Copies of American Memory Film Collection Materials

The films in the American Memory Collection have been copied onto videotape masters and are available for duplication through the Public Services Office of the M/B/RS division [phone 202 707-5623 or 202 707-0246 and fax 202 707-2371]. This material is not copyright protected or donor restricted. The videotape masters run from 8 to 66 minutes. Either the first thirty minutes or the entire videotape master may be copied; particular titles or the last half of a tape cannot be ordered. Costs vary depending on videotape format and duration of material copied. If you would like to obtain videotape copies of films from the American Memories Early Motion Pictures collection, follow this procedure:

The turn-around time for Standard Service is typically 4 to 6 weeks. Rush Service guarantees that your order will be completed within 7 working days. The turn-around time for either service begins only when payment has been received.

Shipping costs must be paid by the customer. All materials are sent via a freight courier. Please include your Federal Express, DHL, UPS, or other courier account number in the box titled Special Shipping Instructions on the Order Form. For further information, contact the Public Service Office at the phone number listed above.

If you have any questions specifically regarding this ordering procedure, please browse the Frequently Asked Questions or contact the Public Services Office.

Videotape Masters

Below are lists of American Memory moving image titles by collection. When you locate the title(s) you wish to have duplicated, be sure to note the name and number of the videotape master, and whether or not the title(s) falls on the first thirty minutes of the tape.

• The American Variety Stage: Vaudeville and Popular Entertainment, 1870-1920
• Inside an American Factory: Films of the Westinghouse Works, 1904
• Inventing Entertainment: Early Motion Pictures and Sound Recordings from the Thomas A. Edison Companies
• The Spanish-American War in Motion Pictures, 1898-1901
• The Life of a City: Early Films of New York from the Paper Print Collection, 1898-1906
• Early Films of San Francisco: Before and After the Great Earthquake and Fire, 1896-1915
• The Last Days of President McKinley: Films of William McKinley and the Pan-American Exposition, 1901
• Theodore Roosevelt: His Life and Times on Film

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I order particular titles or do I have to buy the whole tape?

  You may order duplications of either the first thirty minutes of a videotape master or of the entire videotape master. Editing out particular titles or copying the last half of a videotape master is not an available option. Refer to the Videotape Masters to determine whether the particular title(s) you want falls within the first thirty minutes of the videotape master.

• How much do videotape copies cost?

  Duplication costs vary depending on videotape format and duration of the material copied. Refer to the Videotape Transfer Rates schedule to calculate duplication costs. Transfer rates ascend in 30 minute increments. In other words, you would be charged the rate of a 60 minute transfer for a duplication that actually has only 50 minutes of material.

• Can I order more than one videotape master of various shorter lengths so that I have the masters dubbed on one longer videotape stock?

  Our prices are individual and tapes are made on a one-to-one basis. Our policy is to make one videotape dub from one videotape master.

• Has the original material been altered on the videotape masters?

  The films have been speed corrected to accurately reflect natural motion, as they would have been filmed and projected at the time they were made. Also, the New York, San Francisco, and President McKinley films (videotape masters 19 through 24) have been incorporated with black matting to ensure that the entire video image will be present on your video screen.

• May I pay for my order with a credit card?

  At this time the Public Services Office does not accept credit cards. Payment in the form of cash, check, or money order is accepted. Payment for international orders by check in U.S. dollars drawn from a U.S. bank, or international money order in U.S. dollars is accepted. Purchase orders will not be accepted. Please note that your order will not be processed until payment is received in the Public Services Office.

• Can I order duplications of films and/or videos from all of the Collections of the Library of Congress?

  Material deposited by claimants of copyright comprise the largest part of the film and television collection of the Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound division at the Library of Congress. In many cases, the copyright owner is the appropriate source for obtaining duplicated footage.