I have/found/inherited/bought some old home movies that I dont want to keep anymore. Is there an archive somewhere that wants them?
The ideal archive home for your materials will be able to provide proper storage conditions, adequate regional/historical context, and public access to researchers. Try sending a description of the home movies you have (provide as much detail as possible as to format, condition, origin, and contents) to archives and historical societies in your region first. Theres a list of motion picture archives organized by region on the National Film Preservation Foundation web site at www.filmpreservation.org (click on Community of Archives). The more an archive knows about your materials, the more interest they may have in providing a new home for them. If the archives you contact initially do not collect amateur film, ask them for help in finding a repository that does take the sort of material you have. And keep trying! Many archives have only begun to collect amateur film in recent years, and new ones are collecting in this area every year.
