Catalogue description Empire and General Post Office Film Library: Correspondence

The Empire Film Library was founded in 1926 by the Empire Marketing Board and, on the dissolution of the board in 1933, the library was administered by the Postmaster General when GPO films were incorporated. In 1935 responsibility for the library was transferred to the Imperial Institute which, for administrative convenience, continued to act as an agent of the Postmaster General in circulating Post Office films. In April 1940 the library was placed under the Ministry of Information, whose own films were then incorporated. The library was then re-named the Central Film Library (CFL). It continued to be staffed from the Imperial Institute until August 1948 when the staff, with a few exceptions, were transferred to the Central Office of Information, which had been set up in place of the Ministry of Information in April 1946.

The Central Film Library is a library of informational, instructional and educational films which are available for distribution to approved non-commercial organisations in this country including government departments, HM Forces, schools, universities, local authorities, voluntary societies and hospitals. The CFL originally offered a free service but, since 1953, has operated on a fee paying basis.