The working group of the Member Engagement and Outreach Committee will host the eleventh annual ARLIES Film Festival, on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 1:15 p.m. EDT at the Marriott Knoxville Downtown during the 188th Spring Association Meeting in Knoxville, Tennessee. The film festival highlights and shares multimedia products developed by member institutions to increase knowledge and use of libraries, their spaces, services, collections, and expertise.

• We encourage submissions that reflect diversity of the user population
• Submissions are limited to ARL member libraries

Host a live watch party! See below for details to host a watch party at your institution. 

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Wednesday, April 1, 2026

1. Films produced prior to 01/01/2024 are not eligible for consideration for the 2026 festival.
    
2. An institution may submit only one film to the ARLIES Festival.
    
3. Films can be either scripted or improvisational, animated or not.
    
4. Films viewed at a previous ARLIES are not eligible for consideration for the 2026 festival.
    
5. The official ARLIES submission form must be completed to enter. 
    
6. Entries must fall into one of the submission categories, and a film may be submitted in up to two categories.
    
7. Entries must not exceed a total running time of three minutes each, including credits. If entries exceed the three minute maximum, then only three minutes of the film will be shown during the Festival. Films will be shown from the beginning, unless otherwise specified in the submission form to show a specific start and stop time. 
    
8. An attachment of the film video file must be uploaded during the submission process, as well as the member institution’s link to the video for long-term viewing and posting on the ARL website. If the video file is too large for upload, it should be emailed to events@arl.org. 

• Collections-Focused Films: In order to qualify for this category, the submitted project must highlight book(s), document(s), photograph(s), sound recording(s), collection(s) or other item(s) from the library’s holdings.
   
• Development/Fund-Raising Films: In order to qualify for this category, the submitted project must be intended to raise funds or attract potential donors to the library. A specific goal must be included (e.g., $10,000 or securing the names of at least 20 new friends for the library).
   
• Free-Form Films: Other than meeting submission requirements, there are no rules for submitting in this category, either because the project does not fit into any of the other categories or defies categorization altogether.
   
• How-To/Instruction Films: In order to qualify for this category, the submitted project must be created for use in a classroom or online course or as an instructional video to learn a new skill (e.g., How to Use Endnote).
   
• Publicity/Marketing Films: In order to qualify for this category, the submitted project must be intended to promote knowledge of and appreciation for the library, services, spaces, or expertise to a particular audience.
   
• Research Films: In order to qualify for this category, the submitted project must highlight a service that supports the research mission of the library.

• Best of Each Submission Category (6)
• Best Reflection of Inclusion
• Best Performance
• Best Production
• Best Humor
• Best Picture
• People's Choice

An ARLIES Film Festival Finalist is defined as an entry that satisfies all entry rules and is shown during the festival. If the festival is held synchronously, there may be a limit to the number of films that can be shown in the time allotted for the festival. In the event of more qualified entries than available showing slots in the festival, the Working Group shall determine a method by which Film Festival finalists are chosen. 

The winner in each award category is determined by a majority vote of member representatives that submit an ARLIES Film Festival ballot. Each member institution receives one ballot.

This year, the ARLIES invites member institutions to host a watch party! Simply sign up and tune in to the provided Zoom link on April 28 at 1:10 p.m. Gather your colleagues, pop some popcorn, and see what great work the research libraries around the US and Canada are doing. Watch parties will all be broadcast live on the screen at the beginning of the festival. A general live stream via YouTube will also be made available for anyone who wants to watch.