Writers Guild Foundation

FOUNDED IN 1966, THE WRITERS GUILD FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO SERVE THE WRITING COMMUNITY AND FOR WRITERS TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY. THROUGH ITS EDUCATIONAL EVENTS, OUTREACH PROGRAMS, LIBRARY AND ARCHIVE, THE FOUNDATION STRIVES TO EDUCATE AND INSPIRE WRITERS AS WELL AS PROMOTE AND PRESERVE EXCELLENCE IN WRITING FOR THE SCREEN.

THE WRITERS GUILD FOUNDATION SHAVELSON-WEBB LIBRARY & ARCHIVETHE WRITERS GUILD FOUNDATION SHAVELSON-WEBB LIBRARY (LIBRARY) IS THE FOUNDATION'S LARGEST AND MOST VISIBLE PROGRAM, CONTAINING MORE THAN 30,000 CATALOGUED ITEMS. WITH ITS FOCUS ON COLLECTING AWARD NOMINATED SCRIPTS, THE LIBRARY SERVES AS A VALUABLE RESOURCE TO THE COMMUNITY AND ADVANCES THE RECOGNITION OF WRITERS' UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION TO THE ART OF FILM AND TELEVISION. THE WRITERS GUILD FOUNDATION ARCHIVE (ARCHIVE) CONTAINS UNIQUE AND RARE ITEMS, FROM THE PERSONAL PAPERS OF PROMINENT WRITERS TO EARLY WGA PERIODICALS, PHOTOGRAPHS, VINTAGE SCRIPTS, RARE BOOKS, AND OTHER EPHEMERA INCLUDING TYPEWRITERS, AWARDS, SCRAPBOOKS, AND STRIKE REALIA. THE LIBRARY CATALOGUED NEW SCRIPTS, BOOKS AND AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS. ON OCTOBER 1, 2014, THE LIBRARY EXPANDED HOURS TO INCLUDE EVERY SATURDAY AS WELL AS AN EXTRA HOUR IN THE EVENING ON TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, AND FRIDAYS. THE LIBRARY IS SERVING MORE PATRONS THAN EVER.TO AID COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT AND MONITOR METRICS FOR COLLECTION AND SERVICE ASSESSMENTS, THE LIBRARY IMPLEMENTED A NEW SYSTEM IN GOOGLE FORMS TO TRACK USAGE SUCH AS TITLES READ, MATERIAL REQUESTS, AND ATTENDENCE. THE ARCHIVE CONTINUES TO BE A RESOURCE TO SCHOLARS, RESEARCHERS, WGA MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC. THE ARCHIVE RECEIVES RESEARCH REQUESTS. RESEARCHERS INCLUDED SCHOLARS FROM THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY, EMERSON COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF SANTA CRUZ, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, AND YALE. SEVERAL MATERIALS WERE FEATURED IN THE WGA'S MAGAZINE. IN-HOUSE LIBRARY AND LOBBY EXHIBITS SPOTLIGHTED UNIQUE MATERIALS.

LITERACY PROGRAMS AND ACEDEMIC OUTREACHTHE FOUNDATION'S OUTREACH PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE VISITING WRITERS PROGRAM, AN ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM, AND A WRITING PROGRAM FOR MILITARY VETERANS. THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS THE FOUNDATION ALSO SEEKS TO FULFILL ANOTHER MAJOR GOAL: TO ESTABLISH WRITING FOR FILM AND TELEVISION AS LITERATURE IN ITS OWN RIGHT AND TO PRESERVE THAT LITERATURE FOR POSTERITY. THROUGH THE VISITING WRITERS PROGRAM, THE FOUNDATION FACILITATES AND HOSED WGAW MEMBERS TO SPEAK WITH STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.IN ADDITION TO ORAL HISTORIES, THE LIBRARY TEAM CONTINUES TO DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS. COALITION TV WRITERS PROGRAM, AND OTHER CONTESTS WERE ALSO INVITED.

SEMINARS AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTSTHE FOUNDATION'S EDUCATIONAL EVENTS INCLUDE WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS, AND A SPEAKER SERIES. THROUGH THESE EVENTS, THE FOUNDATION OFFERS THE COMMUNITY INSIGHT AND EDUCATION ON THE CRAFT OF WRITING FOR THE SCREEN.THE FOUNDATION HOSTS EDUCATIONAL EVENTS: WORKSHOPS HELD AT THE WRITERS GUILD THEATER; MULTI-NIGHT PANEL DISCUSSION SERIES', AND OTHER INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS AND PANELS. THE MILITARY VETERANS WRITING PROJECT IS A VETERANS WORKSHOP WRITING WITH MENTORS; THE MEETINGS CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AS THE VETERANS WORK IN SMALL GROUPS WITH THEIR MENTORS.