PBS Point-of-View Series Offers Libraries Some Free Programming Opportunities

From a Press Release from PBS:

POV (a cinema term for “point of view”) is America’s longest-running nonfiction series.

Since 1988, POV has presented films on PBS that capture the full spectrum of the human experience, with a long commitment to centering women and people of color in front of, and behind, the camera.

 Every season, we attract an average of 1-2 million viewers per program and reach a younger, more diverse audience than other PBS series. In 2019, nearly half of our viewers lived in households with incomes under $40,000.

Through our programs, we support bold, independent storytellers who reflect the public we serve. This season, nearly two-thirds of our programs are directed by filmmakers of color and over 80% are by women.

This season, we are pleased to be the broadcast home of films like:

The Neutral Ground 

The Neutral Ground documents New Orleans’ fight over monuments and America’s troubled romance with

the Lost Cause. In 2015, director CJ Hunt was filming the New Orleans City Council’s vote to remove four

confederate monuments. But when that removal is halted by death threats, CJ sets out to understand why

Pier Kids

On the Christopher Street Pier in New York City, homeless queer and trans youth of color forge friendships

and chosen families, withstanding tremendous amounts of abuse while working to carve out autonomy in

their lives. With intimate access to these fearless young people, Pier Kids highlights the precarity and

resilience of a community many choose to ignore.

 Fruits of Labor

Ashley, a Mexican-American teenager living in an agricultural town in the central coast of California,

dreams of graduating high school and going to college. But when ICE raids threaten her family, Ashley is

forced to become the breadwinner, working days in the strawberry fields and nights at a food processing

company.

Watch an exclusive preview of the POV Season 34 HERE (password: povseason34!). 

Beyond the broadcast, we work with a network of over 13,000 partners including libraries, museums and classroom educators. We spark community conversation by producing public resources and hundreds of nationwide events that extend the reach of our films and move our impact work forward.  

 Given that we are still navigating a public health crisis, we are encouraging partnered community organizations and stations to reimagine community screening events through virtual platforms like OVEE and ZOOM and to creatively shift towards safe outdoor social distancing approaches that can foster community building.

Join the POV Community Network -- a free digital film lending library for educators, nonprofits, librarians, PBS Stations, and other engaged community members to host free community and educational screening events of POV films. Partners can host online screenings to watch films together through Zoom and use lesson plans, discussion guides and reading lists to facilitate conversation about POV films. 

POV Engage provides free access and training to organize a virtual or in person film screening in your community or classroom. How do you sign up?

Create a free account to join the Community Network and register your screening event today!