The Writers Guild Foundation Shavelson-Webb Library is the only library on the planet focused entirely on
writing for the screen.
The library is open to the public and home to over 45,000 items.
Our mission is to preserve and promote the craft, history, and voices of screen storytelling. To meet that goal, we collect scripts and related materials, and make them available to everyone who comes to visit—not just Writers Guild members. We provide wireless internet and a quiet place for writers to work.
The library is accessible in person only, by appointment only. Please use our appointment scheduler to make an appointment. First time visiting? Read through WGF Library 101 and our FAQ.
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The Writers Guild Foundation Shavelson-Webb Library is located at 7000 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90048 (in the WGA building)
Open Tuesday to Friday 11am-6pm (Thursdays 11am-8pm) by appointment only.
Closed on major holidays and the last week of December.
Free parking is available in the WGAW lot on Thursdays and Fridays (garage entrance on Blackburn). There is also ample street and metered parking around the building. Please read all posted signs carefully before parking.
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Please use our appointment scheduler to make an appointment, which are good for an entire day. Same day appointments must be made before 11am. Public walk-ins cannot be accommodated except for WGA members who show their guild card.
Use this tool also to create a profile to manage multiple visits or if you need to reschedule or cancel an upcoming appointment.
Every individual visitor to the library must have an appointment in their name. If you bring someone else with you to the library, they must have their own appointment.
Appointments can be made up to two months in advance, opening continuously.
We are closed on major holidays, the last week of December, and occasionally for special events.
Have questions or trouble scheduling? E-mail appointments@wgfoundation.org
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Please use our appointment scheduler to schedule in advance. Walk-ins cannot be accommodated (except for WGA members). We provide access to materials on-site only.
Every individual visitor to the library must have an appointment in their name. If you bring someone else to the library with you, they must have their own appointment. You must show ID to security upon arrival.
Appointments are good for an entire day.
We have over 45,000 items and add more everyday but we might not have the exact script you’re looking for. We recommend checking our library catalog and letting us know what materials you would like to read/study in advance of your appointment.
Please email us if you want to read something from off site - these scripts and collections are noted in the catalog record.
We also have great informative guides and recommendations in our Resource Center.
If you have questions about the library or our collections, need research assistance, or want to request reading accommodations, call the library at 323-782-4544 or e-mail us at library@wgfoundation.org
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Helping patrons is the highest priority for the Library staff, but we also have numerous other duties throughout the day. Please be mindful of our time and obligations to other patrons, and confine your conversations accordingly. Also, please limit your requests to those typically performed by a Librarian. They may not perform personal care duties or any other actions outside the scope of their job.
The Library is funded by donors who aim to create a focused and peaceful place for writers, and to help those mastering the craft of writing for the screen. We will enforce the following rules to ensure a quiet and productive space for all users. Breaking the rules will result in suspension or expulsion from the Library.
We will not admit patrons without an appointment. Please do not show up without an appointment and ask for an exception.
Please socially distance when possible and stay home if you are not feeling well.
No food or drink except coffee or water with a secure lid.
Turn off or silence your cell phone when in the Library. Sound travels within the reception area, so please go outside if you need to make a call.
We are not a lending library, and you may not take photos of scripts. The scripts are copyrighted material and will be treated as such.
No oversized bags or luggage.
Provide a government or school issued ID or WGA card when reading library materials.
No sleeping in the Library.
Limit requests to the staff to those tasks that further the mission of the Foundation and are within the scope of the job duties of a librarian.
Do not disrupt the tranquility of the Library in any other way not specified above.
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We are a non-circulating research library. The majority of scripts in our collection are unpublished manuscript material with corporate authors. The WGA offers an explanation of what this means practically for screenwriters. Due to copyright restrictions and donor agreements, scripts cannot be photocopied, e-mailed, borrowed, put online or distributed beyond our library. Scripts that we make available for reading are for research and educational purposes and patrons must visit in-person to read everything (both paper and digital copies).
Here’s a helpful blog post that explains why and a short guide about copyright as it relates to unpublished work.
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The library collects produced film, television, radio, game and web/streaming scripts, in paper and digital form. We are also actively seeking related materials like outlines, pitches and show bibles.
If you are a writer or work in the industry and want to help by donating scripts, please get in touch with us by emailing library@wgfoundation.org. The process is smooth and simple (we promise).
If you are a writer, the family of a writer, or a collector who would like to donate a collection of scripts and unique archival ephemera, please get in touch by emailing library@wgfoundation.org or call the Archivist at 323-782-4680. We welcome new additions to the collections and do all we can to preserve the craft and voices of screen storytelling. Collections typically consist of script drafts for produced and unproduced projects, research, outlines, memos, correspondence, production ephemera, and photos. The Society of American Archivists has a brief guide on what to expect when donating to an archival repository.
The Writers Guild Foundation Shavelson-Webb Library is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture.