Monday Night Movies have been happening for years, they go way back, since before all the popular streaming services became available. Mondays at 6 p.m. is the time to meet friends at the Library after hours, sit back, relax, watch the latest Hollywood blockbuster, or maybe an art film or documentary, eat free popcorn, and stay cool. Over the years, Monday Night Movies has had many iterations and formats, and movie screening opportunities have evolved and grown. The core objective remains the same, show movies, free of charge, that folks might have missed on the big screen at the local cineplex or maybe want to see again.
But how does it work? Showing free movies at the library? I’m glad you asked and I’m happy to explain. So, you know how a restaurant, activity center, or entertainment venue plays piped in background music for ambience in a lobby, workout room or elevator? Guess what? That’s not for free! The owners have paid a license to give you that ambience. And, similarly, the Library pays a license to have access to the movies that we show you for free. And, c’mon, we should be paying artists for the great music, films, and other artwork we all enjoy.
We have, as many public libraries do, a “Public Performance Site License” that gives us access to copyrighted major motion pictures. Whether for education or entertainment purposes, we’ve got the license, and the cost of this license, broken down daily is a couple dollars. (Yes! You could be our movie sponsor, that’s a great idea. Just reach out to Anne Marie!).
There are some caveats, however, to show movies at the library. The oddest one I’ve found is that in print, we cannot mention the movie directly by title, as in this very column that you’re reading. Huh, a head scratcher for sure. Instead, it’s a verbal game of charades. I could say that – and I hope it’s true for July 2025 – we’ll be showing the movie about a big fish named Bruce that terrorizes a fictional sea town off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, a film that’s based on the book by Peter Benchley of the same name, that I can’t write. Do you see the conundrum? (By the way, this is the rare instance where both the book and the movie are equally good. Stop by, I’d love to tell you my thoughts about this.)
I think the “can’t say in print” rule was probably so as not to interfere with the movie marketing or copyright if the movie is concurrently being shown at a cineplex. But the movies we’re showing have most often already had their theatrical run. Nonetheless, we get many compliments after movie night. People love the selections and often wonder how we choose them.
There’s no real scientific method on how we choose the movies. We look at the movie license website to see what has been approved, and we compare it to when that particular movie will be available to purchase and added to the library collection. This ensures us that the Blu-ray or DVD disc we are showing has not yet been circulated to the public and will be clear of any blemishes or scratches. As the youngest self-proclaimed assistant video store manager in the video rental industry, a title I am sure I have told you about, as my parents owned a video store, Manila Video, back in Jersey City, New Jersey, this is important to me. Special note: I always strived to make sure the VHS tapes were of the best quality before being rented out.
Back to our license. As you may have noticed, in Connect, our monthly newsletter, we announce showtimes, run times, and the name of the film. What? Yes, our license allows us to say the film title if we are promoting the film on our own library website, in our events calendars, in any library literature or emails, or on any print advertising visible in and around the library. And, FYI, and this is important: On our monthly events calendar on our website? The movie name is listed along with a general synopsis. Friends don’t let friends spoil movies. Ahhh…marketing.
Okay, so that’s how it’s done, but when do we show films, you ask? Every Monday, excluding holidays, in the Community Room, 6 p.m., and most Wednesdays in the Javelina Room at the Village Library, 2 p.m. (Movies at the Village Library don’t show February through April due to AARP’s tax assistance program.)
But that’s not all. Family Movies are shown on the second Saturday of the month in the Community Room at 2 p.m. This gives parents and guardians a chance to take their littles to watch a movie and teach them how to enjoy this experience. I’d sure hate for them to go to the Cineplex, drop a ton of money on tickets, popcorn, and beverages, and then have the kids get fidgety and have to leave at the start of previews.
There’s more! Teen Movie Nights are also on the second Saturday of the month, September through May, in the Community Room at 5:30 p.m. with not only free popcorn but pizzas and sodas. Movies begin at 6 p.m. (Limited seating on these showings, so arrive early). Parents have thanked us for allowing them some grown up time! Aw, it’s the least we can do.
It takes a village and we’re thankful for our gracious sponsors: the Thie family has provided the popcorn for the rest of the year, and the Friends Of The Sedona Library are the sponsors for sodas and pizzas for teens. If you haven’t yet, we hope you’ll join us at the movies!
Sedona Public Library is an independently run, 501(c)(3), privately owned, debt-free, non-profit organization providing public services. Support comes from the City of Sedona; your property tax dollars from Coconino and Yavapai Counties; businesses, foundations, and individuals like you; and the amazing Friends Of The Sedona Library which has supported the Library for more than 55 years. Please visit us at sedonalibrary.org.
As published by Red Rock News
Library News Column for July 19, 2024
Written by Jan Marc Quisumbing, Scheduling Coordinator
