"Seinfeld"
The Library (1991)

Director:

Joshua White

Writers:

Larry Charles (writer)
Larry David (co-creator)
(more)

TV Series:

"Seinfeld" (1990)

Original Air Date:

16 October 1991 (Season 3, Episode 5)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

The fate of people from Jerry's and George's past is revealed as Jerry is forced to account for an overdue book from 1971. Kramer falls for a librarian. Elaine fears trouble at work. |

Plot Keywords:

Library | Librarian | Homeless Man | New York City | Neurotic

Cast

Jerry Seinfeld	...	Jerry Seinfeld
Julia Louis-Dreyfus	...	Elaine Benes
Michael Richards	...	Cosmo Kramer
Jason Alexander	...	George Costanza
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marie Barrientos	...	The Receptionist
Ashley Gardner	...	Marion
Philip Baker Hall	...	Lt. Bookman
Neal Lerner	...	The 'Shusher'
Harris Shore	...	Mr. Lippman
Cynthia Szigeti	...	Sherry Becker
Biff Yeager	...	Heyman

Directed by
Joshua White

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Larry Charles		writer
Larry David		co-creator
Jerry Seinfeld		co-creator

Produced by
Larry Charles	....	producer
Tom Cherones	....	supervising producer
Larry David	....	executive producer
Tim Kaiser	....	associate producer
Suzy Mamann-Greenberg	....	associate producer
Elaine Pope	....	co-producer
Andrew Scheinman	....	executive producer
Jerry Seinfeld	....	producer
George Shapiro	....	executive producer
Nancy Sprow	....	associate producer
Joan Van Horn	....	line producer
Howard West	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Charles W. Short

Casting by
Brian Myers

Art Department
Suzanne Feller-Otto	....	set designer

Camera and Electrical Department
Charles R. Young	....	camera operator

Other crew
Larry Charles	....	executive story editor
Matt Goldman	....	story editor
Peggy Lane	....	stand-in
Tom Leopold	....	story editor
Peter Mehlman	....	program consultant
Peter Mehlman	....	story editor

Directed by
Tom Cherones		(episode 4.24 "Pilot, Part 2, The")

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Larry David		creator
Jerry Seinfeld		creator

Produced by
Sam Henry Kass	....	producer (1994-1996)
Jeffrey Stott	....	executive producer in charge of production

Film Editing by
Eric Lea
Peter Chakos		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Laura Richarz

Makeup Department
Dulcie Smith	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Howard Bolter	....	production supervisor
Randy Carter	....	unit production manager (1996-1998)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bruce Chevillat	....	first assistant director
Ron Dempsey	....	second second assistant director
Thomas A. Keith	....	second second assistant director
Stephen Messer	....	second assistant director
David Spitzer	....	assistant director

Art Department
George Capetanos	....	prop assistant
Glenn Forbes	....	set dresser
Drew Williams	....	leadman

Sound Department
Ken Kobett	....	sound re-recording mixer
George Nemzer	....	sound editor
Otis Van Osten	....	sound editor
James D. Young	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Ken Speed	....	special effects

Stunts
Brian Joseph Moore	....	stunt double: Jason Alexander
Michael J. Sarna	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Dana Baker	....	dolly grip
Kent Baker	....	grip
James F. Cornick	....	best boy
Michael Fastoso	....	grip
George La Fountaine Jr.	....	first assistant camera (1992-1995)
Wren Maloney	....	still photographer
Michael R. Marquette	....	first assistant camera
Michael Yarish	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Marc Hirschfeld	....	casting executive
Meg Liberman	....	casting executive
Lisa Ystrom	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marie H. Burk	....	costume supervisor
Linda S. Cormany	....	key costumer
Elaine Down	....	set costume
Stephanie Kennedy	....	key costumer (1993-1998)
Gilda Texter	....	costumer (first 13 episodes)

Transportation Department
Robert J. Young	....	driver (1990)

Other crew
Vicki Beck	....	production coordinator
Andy Cowan	....	program consultant
Jeff Crandell	....	location manager
Ray DeVally Jr.	....	technical coordinator
George Doty IV	....	script coordinator (1996-1998)
Kim Giancaterino	....	electronic graphic artist (as Kimberley Gunn)
Kim Giancaterino	....	title designer: end credits (as Kimberley Gunn)
Jane E. Graves	....	assistant location manager
Marjorie Gross	....	creative consultant
Sam Henry Kass	....	executive consultant (as Sam Kass)
Judy Kerr	....	dialogue coach
Towanna King	....	stand-in
David Lanphier Jr.	....	location scout: New York
Matt Liston	....	on-set assistant
Scott Mislan	....	production assistant
Lesley Robins	....	production assistant (1997-1998)
Shane Stanley	....	production assistant
Fred Stoller	....	program consultant

Production Companies

• Castle Rock Entertainment

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1991) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:PG

Company:

Castle Rock Entertainment

Quotes:

Elaine: Boys are sick.
Jerry: Well what do girls do?
Elaine: Nothing. We just tease someone until they develop an eating disorder.

"Bad year for libraries..."

In 1990, Stephen King's Four Past Midnight hit the shelves: a collection of four tales of horror, it got particularly gruesome in the section called The Library Policeman, a wince-inducing yarn that toyed with the idea of the eponymous "law enforcer". Why am I mentioning this? Because this episode of Seinfeld provides its own take on the figure, and while it is considerably lighter in tone than King's version, it most certainly qualifies as equally smart.

The events of the show are set in motion when Jerry receives a note telling him he still hasn't returned a library book he borrowed in high school (!). Utterly convinced something is wrong, he goes to the library to complain. Two more story lines stem from here: firstly, Kramer becomes infatuated with a librarian ("She needs a bit of Kramer!" Jerry: "Yeah, and then she'll need a shot of penicillin."); secondly, George thinks a hobo sitting outside the building is actually his old gym teacher, a man who used to torment him by deliberately mispronouncing his name: Cantstandya instead of Costanza. In the end, Jerry is forced to deal with Lt. Bookman (Philip Baker Hall) himself, which means there will be a lecture on how everything gets worse, year after year.

"Yeah, '71, that was my first year on the job... bad year for libraries, bad year for America...". That's how Baker Hall, one of the greatest character actors in recent film history, introduces The Library's best scene. Remembered by most people as the sad/manipulative character in the likes of Sydney, Boogie Nights and Magnolia, he has never really hit it big with a cinematic comedy. Sure, his minor role in Bruce Almighty was fun to watch, but a bit of a wasted opportunity. Here, instead, he succeeds in comically deforming his trademark persona while retaining a sort of realistic charm, with the result of Bookman being hilarious, but still believable as a human being. In fact, after seeing this, I kind of wonder whether '91 was good or bad for libraries...