National Film Preservation Board

Legislative Authorization

Established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-446), the National Film Preservation Board was reauthorized in 1992 for four years (Public Law 102-307), and again in 1996 for an additional seven years (Public Law 104-285). The law also creates the federally-chartered private sector National Film Preservation Foundation

Legislative Documents for Public Law 104-285

• View H.R. 1734 (Public Law 104-285) "The National Film Preservation Act of 1996" (passed by Congress on September 28, 1996 and signed by President Clinton on October 11, 1996!) via THOMAS (Legislative Information on the Internet). Also view the NFPB's entry in the United States Code.
  • April 25, 1997 Press Release
  • October 16, 1996 Press Release
  • Testimony by Edward Richmond before Courts and Intellectual Property Subcommittee, House Committee on the Judiciary, 06-01-95
  • House Committee Report 104-558
  • Remarks, U.S. House of Representatives, 07/29/96
  • Remarks, United States Senate, 09/28/96

Key Features of Public Law 104-285

TITLE I--Reauthorization of the National Film Preservation Board

• Members of the National Film Preservation Board serve as an advisory body to the Librarian of Congress, counseling the Librarian on 1) the annual selection of films to the National Film Registry and 2) national film preservation planning policy.

• Librarian (advised by Board) will continue implementation of the national film preservation plan. This is a continuation of the work already begun under the auspices of the National Film Preservation Board: the study done in 1993, and the national plan in 1994. Both were accomplished by a consensus of the major film studios, the archives, the educational community, and other key players in the film and film preservation communities.

• The Librarian/Board will continue to select up to 25 "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant films" each year for the National Film Registry. To be eligible, films must be at least 10 years old, though they need not be feature-length or have had a theatrical release in order to be considered. The legislation's intent is that the broadest possible range of films be eligible for consideration.

• The Librarian will continue to obtain archival material (including preprint elements) on National Film Registry titles for collection in the Library of Congress.

• Annual authorization/appropriation maintained at $250,000 per year.

TITLE II--Establishment of the National Film Preservation Foundation

• The Foundation, an independent, non-profit charity affiliated with the National Film Preservation Board, raises private funds to help American archives preserve films and make them publicly available.

• The Foundation's primary mission is to save orphan films, films without owners able to pay for their preservation. The films most at-risk are newsreels, silent films, experimental works, films out of copyright protection, significant amateur footage, documentaries, and features made outside the commercial mainstream. Orphan films are the living record of the twentieth century. Hundreds of American museums, archives, libraries, universities, and historical societies care for "orphaned" original film materials of cultural value. The Foundation will work with these film preservation organizations to preserve orphan films and make them accessible to "present and future generations of Americans."

• The Foundation is eligible to receive federal matching funds of $250,000 per year starting in October 1999. This money must be used for preservation projects. None of these federal funds can be spent on the administration of the Foundation.

• The nine members of the Foundation's Board of Directors are appointed by the Librarian of Congress and serve four-year terms. Two of the Directors also sit on the National Film Preservation Board. The Librarian is a non-voting Board member. Directors are not financially compensated for their services.

• For more information on the Foundation, visit its Web page