First formalized and sponsored in 1958 by the American Library Association, this is a week dedicated to the promotion, use, and support for local libraries. Every year the week is given a theme; 2025 is Drawn to the Library![1] but today we are going off-theme to take a look at some films from the Moving Image and Sound branch that are all about libraries and the services they offer to their communities.
Free Reading for All: The Story of the American Public Library is a collaboration between the China Institute in America and the Harmon Foundation. The film’s producer, Wango H.C. Weng was born in 1918 in the city of Changshu, China. Weng came to the US in 1938 following the escalation of the Second Sino-Japanese War and studied for his master’s in engineering at Purdue University. A self-taught filmmaker[2], he began producing educational films in the 1940s[3] and continued to create and collect films throughout his life. His work included producing films for the Harmon Foundation, the US Army, and as consultant with the US Department of State.[4] His vast film collection was donated before his passing at the age of 102 in 2020 and is held at the C.V. Starr East Asian Library at Columbia University. Greatly inspired by Chinese traditions and his family’s art collection, Weng also published books on art history and poetry. The Wan-go H.C. Weng Art Collection now resides at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
Free Reading for All: The Story of the American Public Library, is a short, educational documentary film intended for Chinese audiences to promote the establishment of public libraries.[5] In a July 6, 1944 correspondence between Weng and Olga Peterson, the Public Relation Division Chief of the American Library Association, we can see there were considerations early on to adapt the film for American audiences.[6] They discuss relevant scene changes and the addition of an English soundtrack and title cards, as seen in this version held by the Motion Picture and Sound branch. The English version was narrated by Franklin F. Hopper, then Director of the New York Public Library and the original Chinese version was narrated by Weng himself.
Educational films such as this were created because of their ability to be shown widely and at a significantly smaller cost than hiring lecturers and holding demonstrations. This film was “… for rural people unfamiliar with libraries” and to show “…what they can expect a public library to do for them; to show ways in which library service can be organized and supported; and to indicate steps towards securing it.”[7]
As the week continues be sure to stop by your local library and see what services (and books!) they have to offer. Come back to the Unwritten Record on Thursday to see more historic films from our collection discussing libraries. If you can’t wait until then, check out this past post on Bookmobiles.
[1] “National Library Week 2025: Drawn to the Library!”, National Library Week, ALA American Library Association, 2025. https://www.ala.org/conferencesevents/celebrationweeks/natlibraryweek
[2] Wan-go H.C. Weng of Lyme, New Hampshire, 1918-2020, Obituary, “Wan-go H.C. Weng.” Ricker Funeral Homes and Crematory, 2020. https://www.rickerfuneralhome.com/obituary/wan-go-h-c-weng
[3] King, Ariana, “Wango Weng’s Films Get the Attention They Deserve at Columbia.” Columbia News, April 13, 2021. https://news.columbia.edu/news/wango-weng-donated-his-film-collection-to-columbia
[4] Wan-go H.C. Weng of Lyme, New Hampshire, 1918-2020, Obituary, 2020. https://www.rickerfuneralhome.com/obituary/wan-go-h-c-weng
[5] Hsing–ching Weng, Producer to Olga M. Peterson, Public Relation Division Chief American Library Association,Chicago, July 6, 1944; Free Reading for All – Continuity; Production File;, Harmon Foundation Collection, Record Group H-HF; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD.
[6] Ibid.
[7] “A film on library service” June 6, 1945; Free Reading for All – Continuity; Production Files; Harmon Foundation Collection, Record Group H-HF; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD.
Sources:
“A film on library service.” June 6, 1945; Free Reading for All – Continuity; Production Files; Harmon Foundation Collection, Record Group H-HF; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD.
China Institute in America. “Mission and History.” China institute in America. 2025. https://chinainstitute.org/about-us/mission-history/
Columbia University: C.V. Starr East Asian Library. “Wan-go H.C. Weng film collection, circa 1938-1991, bulk 1948-1980.” Empire Archival Discovery Cooperative. 2020. https://www.empireadc.org/search/catalog/nncea_11018656
Hsing–ching Weng, Producer to Olga M. Peterson, Public Relation Division Chief American Library Association,Chicago, July 6, 1944; Free Reading for All – Continuity; Production File;. Harmon Foundation Collection, Record Group H-HF; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD.
King, Ariana. “Wango Weng’s Films Get the Attention They Deserve at Columbia.” Columbia News, April 13, 2021. https://news.columbia.edu/news/wango-weng-donated-his-film-collection-to-columbia
Landgraf, Greg. ““Wake Up and Read” to “Libraries Lead” The 60-year history of National Library Week.” American Libraries, March 1, 2018. https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2018/03/01/national-library-week-60th-anniversary-libraries-lead/
“National Library Week 2025: Drawn to the Library!”. National Library Week. ALA American Library Association, 2025. https://www.ala.org/conferencesevents/celebrationweeks/natlibraryweek
“National Library Week”. National Library Week. Wikipedia, September 10, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Library_Week
“Prospectus for film on The Small Library” July 21, 1943; Free Reading for All – Continuity; Production File;. Harmon Foundation Collection, Record Group H-HF; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD.
Wan-go H.C. Weng of Lyme, New Hampshire, 1918-2020, Obituary. “Wan-go H.C. Weng.” Ricker Funeral Homes and Crematory. 2020. https://www.rickerfuneralhome.com/obituary/wan-go-h-c-weng