Description: A dramatised documentary about how public libraries can assist commercial companies with their information needs. The film follows a woman reporter as she interviews a senior librarian and staff at various companies with requirements for specific data. The film stresses the professional expertise of the public librarian, their respect for commercial confidence, and states that 'libraries can tell industry'.

Title card: Resources Discovered

Intertitle: All the incidents in this film are based on fact

Accompanied by a piano soundtrack, we see a woman's legs as she walks along the street and goes into a building. This woman then narrates, telling us that she needs to interview the director of a laundry company (the Manor Laundry in Camberwell) to find out about the new process he is using. The male company director lights this woman reporter's cigarette. We see the two of them speaking in an office. The company director tells her it’s a great improvement on other methods and that he had a great deal of help from the library in making it work. We see the cover of a pamphlet which reads: 'The Public Library can tell you.....' The company director takes the woman reporter on a tour of the laundry and she looks at the machinery. We also see women workers in the laundry, washing and ironing clothes. Through the narration, we are told that the company director’s enthusiasm for the service has made the reporter determined to found out what libraries can do for business and commerce.

(02:38) The reporter meets a librarian who shows her a file of letters from firms in the community seeking information to help them with their production problems. Through the film's narration, the librarian tells the reporter about an oil drilling company that required some specific information from the library. At this point we see footage of the company's workers and machinery. Similarly, we then hear about the case of a hat manufacturer who sought information about textiles. We see footage of a John Lewis store, with hats on display and a woman trying one on in front of a mirror.

(04:01) The librarian then talks about the library's ability to aid with enquires that relate to transnational logistics. We hear of a particular case, with visuals, such as a plan taking off and footage of two Dutch towns, to illustrate. We then hear about an enquiry that came from a pipe and steel benders (Messrs. Kirk & Co and Messrs. Lucas of Brixton Hill), illustrated by men at work.

(06:13) The librarian narrator tells us that large companies like ICI and The Metal Box Company have their own internal libraries but smaller firms need a similar service. We see footage of information being accessed in these private libraries. However, the narrator then assures that smaller companies can turn to their local public library to meet their information needs. We then see footage of busy and well-resourced public libraries.

(08:02) The reporter is impressed, and when interviewing another company director she suggests he uses the library to help him with his query about paint. The man is dubious but the library is able to help.

(09:38) We again see the pamphlet featured earlier: 'The Public Library can tell you.....' On the street, we see a man reading a paper. There is then a close up of a news item: 'Public Libraries Can Tell Industry - Great Achievements in Industry and Export Trade'.

Credits.

Intertitle: The End