Got a hankering for an old movie? A classic cartoon? An obscure foreign title that no one’s ever heard of? Then drop by the Gwendolyn P. Tandy Memorial Film Library, home to more than 11,500 titles in all formats.

Founded 20 years ago by a gift from TCU parent and film fanatic Jesse Upchurch, who continues yearly support, the library has grown into one of the most complete collections of its kind. Feature films, documentaries, TV shows, animated films and commercials make up the library’s extensive collection of VHS, DVD, laser disc and 16-millimeter films.

Each year curator Joan McGettigan, an RTVF assistant professor, adds current titles and buys recommendations from specialists in the department. But her passion is searching out obscure titles. “I look everywhere,” she said, “from eBay to the individual collector. It’s exciting to find the exceptionally rare ones.”

The library is a vast resource for students and researchers, offering more than 100 academic and professional journals and an auditorium equipped with state-of-the-art video and film projectors. There are also basic reference works in film and television history, theory and criticism and a collection of master scene scripts.

It’s all great fun for the film buff, but it also has a practical aspect, McGettigan said. “Students in RTVF classes can view films on reserve if they miss class or just want further knowledge of certain film makers or techniques.”

While items in the collection are not available for loan, visitors can view films anytime in individual carrels. The department also presents a free Thursday-evening series featuring films from the collection. The library is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday during the academic year.