Louis B. Mayer Library

Founded in 1969, the Louis B. Mayer Library is designed and devoted to serve the research needs of the staff of the American Film Institute and the faculty and students of the AFI's Center for Advanced Film and Television Studies. The library is also available on a non-circulating basis to visiting scholars, researchers, and advanced graduate students, as well as members of the entertainment industry.

The library holds books and periodicals and other special collections covering various aspects of motion pictures and television.

Telephone: (323) 856-7654

Public Hours
9am-5pm M, Tu, Th
9am-7pm W.
10am-4pm Sat.
Closed Sundays

Hours are subject to change holidays and during the summer. Please call (323)856-7654 for current hours.

Click here for FILM & VIDEO SEARCH TIPS.

Visiting scholars should make appointments. Many of the library's special collections materials must be paged and may not be available on a same day basis.

Holdings

BOOKS: OVER 14,000 books on various aspects of film, television, video and cable, as well as selected titles on photography, theater, and costume design.

PERIODICALS: Approximately 100 journals are currently received; selected titles and years are available in backfile.

Special Collections

RESEARCH COLLECTIONS: Some of the library's important research collections are listed below. For more information and appointment to access please contact the Librarian (323)856-7661. These materials do not circulate to any user and in most cases cannot be photocopied or mechanically reproduced (audio, video, photographed or input into a computer) in any manner of format. These materials can only be accessed at the Louis B. Mayer Library. Request for copies will be returned.

MOTION PICTURE SCRIPTS: Over 5,000 unpublished scripts from contemporary and classic American films. Collections includes early drafts, final drafts and a select number of post production continuities. SCRIPTS DO NOT CIRCULATE AND MAY NOT BE PHOTOCOPIED OR MECHANICALLY DUPLICATED IN ANY MANNER

SEMINAR TRANSCRIPTS: Over 1,600 transcripts from seminars held at the Center for Advanced Film and Television Studies from 1969 to the present. Transcripts consist of interviews with professionals from all aspects of the film and television industry. Seminar transcripts may only be consulted for research purposes and cannot be copied or quoted. SEMINAR TRANSCRIPTS DO NOT CIRCULATE AND MAY NOT BE PHOTOCOPIED OR DUPLICATED IN ANY MANNER.

ORAL HISTORY TRANSCRIPTS: 40 in-depth interviews with pioneers of the motion picture industry. They include George Cukor, Allan Dwan, Hugo Friedhofer, Bronislaw Kaper, Howard Koch, Mitchell Leisen, Leo McCarey and Abraham Polonsky. Oral Histories do not circulate and may not be photocopied or duplicated in any manner. Scholars must obtain permission from individuals or their estate in order to quote from oral histories.

MARTIN SCORSESE COLLECTION: Over 100 boxes of scripts, storyboards, production notes, stills, correspondence and videos. The videos include screen tests, rough cuts, interviews and research.

CHARLES K. FELDMAN COLLECTION: 14 filing cabinets of scripts correspondence, client records, financial and legal material relating to Mr. Feldman's career as a lawyer, agent and producer from the 1930's to 1960's.

ROBERT ALDRICH COLLECTION: Over 200 boxes of scripts, production records, correspondence and memorabilia documenting the career of director/producer Robert Aldrich.

FRITZ LANG COLLECTION: Correspondence and production material from 1933-1953 covering Mr. Lang's personal life as well as his career as a director.

LEVINSON/LINK COLLECTION: Production material and videotapes from Richard Levinson and William Link covering their careers as writers/producers in television.

SERGEI M. EISENSTEIN: Reprints of original drawings done by the famous Russian director. Includes drawings for IVAN THE TERRIBLE, QUE VIVA MEXICO and the theater.

THE LIBRARY ALSO HAS SOME RARE AND UNIQUE FILM JOURNALS:

THE RADIO FLASH: A collection of the house organ of RKO-Radio Pictures, covering the period 1932-1955.

FILM DAILY: The library has a near complete run from 1923-1969.

RADIO/TV DAILY: Companion volume to FILM DAILY. The library has both Radio Daily (July 1939-June 1951) and Radio/TV Daily (July 1951 - December 1964)

TV GUIDE: The library has a near complete run from 1948 to the 1980s.

FILMS & VIDEO: Over 1500 projects by AFI Fellows and the Directing Workshop for Women can be viewed on the premises. You must make an appointment with the Film Librarian (323) 856-7661 to view these projects. If you are interested in screening one of these projects for a class or film festival you should contact Distribution.