(Photo Jeremy Jones, assistant circulation supervisor, stocks movies at video shelves mcarrels)

Originally published August 6, 2008

Editor’s note: We want your ideas too. If you have any ideas or tips for saving money, e-mail them to news@muskogeephoenix.com or send to City Editor Elizabeth Ridenour at 214 Wall St., Muskogee OK 74402.

Movies are one of the most popular forms of entertainment, but you don’t have to pay a dime to watch current blockbusters or old classics.

Unknown to many, your nearby public library has up-to-date titles that can be checked out for free, just like books and other library resources.

Juanita Jackson, 49, is a movie fan who likes to entertain her family; her spouse Edgar Joseph and her daughters Lilli Joseph, Tay-la Jackson and Venetia Vincent.

“You ought to see the movies on the coffee table in my den,” she said. “We love to watch movies. But it’s so nice not to have to go to the theater and pay all that money.”

Jackson said she can’t resist going through the selection of films at Muskogee Public Library with each visit.

“Each time I go to the library, I get a movie,” she said. “They let you check out up to three on your library card.”

Jackson said access to free resources from the library was put to creative use by volunteers and members at her place of worship, Wesley United Methodist Church on Peak Boulevard.

Using a projector and screen from the library, the church organized a drive-in movie in the parking lot that attracted about 30 members and 20 guests. In lawn chairs and on blankets, they all sat under the night sky and watched a children’s film featuring Alvin and the Chipmunks.

“It was real good,” Jackson said. “This was a free event. We also served popcorn and cold drinks for the kids and adults. Any family event to me is a good thing.”

Jackson said her own daughters got much laughter from the animated characters.

“They loved it,” she said. “The squeaky noise of the chipmunks’ voices was a lot of fun.”

One of the people who helped organize the event was church lay leader Jeremy Jones, 26.

“Judy Long (church volunteer and leader) came up with the concept of a movie night,” he said. “We were taking ideas on how to do it, and since I work at the library, I told them we sometimes lent out their equipment; the screen and projector. We weren’t expecting 50 people, so it was really quite a nice surprise. Most of our future movies will come from the library.”

Jones said the Muskogee library has at least a thousand movies, and the selection is growing.

“We are expanding our DVD selection,” he said. “They are rated PG and under. There are no R rated films unless on request from another library in our system.”

The demand for free movies is somewhat seasonal, and Jones said popular titles are sometimes barely on the shelf for a few moments before they’re gone again.

“Especially in summertime, there may be a two-minute turnaround on a movie,” he said. “One patron will return a title and almost immediately another patron will check it out.”

Popularity of library movies pretty much parallels what’s going on in theaters, and many people have made the most of the system.

“The most popular ones are new movies, even some of the old ones,” Jones said.

“New films are at the Muskogee Library pretty soon after commercial release. Most of the big blockbuster summer movies come to us automatically once they are released on DVD. We see a lot of families. They can get three movies per library card, but some people just get one at a time. The movies that have done really well in the theaters are what people get first.”

Jones emphasized the one word that is most important for any movie fan who wants to save money: free.

“A library card is free for anyone who lives in one of our counties,” he said. “It’s free all around. We do charge a late fee, because of the popularity of movies and they are a higher risk item. With such a big turnaround, we want to make sure everyone gets a chance to check out a movie.”

When libraries first started offering audio and visual media, there might be wear after frequent use. But Jones said new technology and policies have solved that problem.

“Our movies are in good condition or they are replaced,” he said. “We have a lot of families who will check out a new movie whether they have heard of it or not.”

Jones said some of their most enthusiastic customers are children.

“A lot of the kids are excited, especially when they pick out their own,” he said. “Some kids like to check out a favorite movie repeatedly.”