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Library's new collection of films looks at human rights

The 12 videos at the library in Safety Harbor can be checked out and will be shown next year.

SAFETY HARBOR - Don't bother looking for these films in Blockbuster Video.

If you are searching for documentaries about apartheid, imprisoned children or abused women in Bosnia, head to the Safety Harbor Public Library.

The library has received a collection of 12 videos on human rights issues, including International Monetary Fund policies in developing countries and the bombing of Laos during the Vietnam War. It is the only library in Pinellas County to have the videos.

"They promote understanding," said Robin Leigh, reference librarian. "I just think it's great to have more than popular feature films at the library. This is something people can talk about. We're trying to enhance our collection."

The Human Rights Video Project is sponsored by the American Library Association and National Video Resources, a nonprofit that advocates for independent media.

There are 300 libraries nationwide that received the permanent collection - five in Florida. The videos are worth more than $2,000.

"By doing something like this, we can make them more available," said Laura Hayes, ALA spokeswoman. "We're trying to bring more documentary films into library collections."

The films, which were produced between 1996 and 2003, were selected for the project by a panel of human rights professionals, librarians and filmmakers. While some have appeared on public television, most of them are rare finds.

"Libraries are a really good place to make materials available to the community because there is a possibility to develop programs with them," said Sally Mason-Robinson, project director for NVR.

"The library has a lot of other materials in addition to the videos that they can make available to people about the issues."

The Safety Harbor library allows the videos to be checked out for two weeks. Even people outside the county can borrow the videos through the multicounty library loan program. Starting in January, the library will show each of the videos on a monthly basis.

"That's our goal," Leigh said, "to get it to as many people as possible."

The Safety Harbor Public Library is the only library in Pinellas County to have the Human Rights Video Project - a series of 12 videos about human rights issues. The names of the documentaries are below:

Behind the Labels: Garment Workers on U.S. Saipan about the harsh conditions of the garment industry in Saipan, a U.S. territory

Bombies about the U.S. bombs dropped on Laos during the Vietnam War

Books Not Bars about youth helping their peers who are in prison

Calling the Ghosts: A Story about Rape, War and Women about the impact of the war in Bosnia on women

Every Mother's Son about the involvement of the New York Police Department in the slayings of three men

Going to School about the Los Angeles Unified School District's efforts to include disabled children in the curriculum

Justice and Generals about the family of four American missionary women killed in El Salvador

Life and Debt about International Monetary Fund policies on developing countries

Long Night's Journey into Day: South Africa's Search for Truth & Reconciliation about apartheid

Promises about seven children living in Palestine and Israel

State of Denial about the AIDS epidemic in South Africa

Well-Founded Fear explores the U.S. asylum-granting process