The New York Public Library has expanded its massive online collection by introducing free films. Cardholders now have access to movies, foreign films, children’s shows, documentaries and filmed live stage performances through the library’s eCollection web site.

The eCollection also boasts an online gallery of more than 450,000 images. Users can search for images (such as treasure chests or giraffes) and download a low-resolution copy or order a high-resolution print.

The library has been leading the movement to provide web access to library material. In 2004 it teamed up with Google to introduce entire texts of public domain books to the internet. Members can now borrow from almost 7,000 titles, including Spanish-language texts and audio books.