The "Municipal Picture Bureau Frankfurt am Main" carries out the function of the former State Picture Bureau Hessen for the area of Frankfurt and on behalf of the City. Its services are aimed at schools and ex-school education facilities and they cover four fields:
- media education
- further education in the school and ex-school areas
- the loan of media and equipment
- use of the facilities of the media laboratory
For schools/kindergartens, municipal youth centres and holders of the youth leadership card the use of materials and facilities is free of charge. The lending archives of the Bureau currently comprise ca. 15,000 media (videos, CDs, CD-Roms, DVDs, OH-films, media packages, selected 16 mm films, slide series and sound carriers). Titles can be examined on the CD issued half-yearly or via the online research system.
Orders are accepted by the Bureau by phone, fax or e-mail one working day prior to delivery, insofar as the pertinent medium is available. Orders are currently forwarded to schools via the school post system (twice weekly). Direct loans are possible during opening hours. Almost all equipment necessary for active media work or media presentations (e.g. cameras, amplifier and loudspeaker systems, video and data beamers) may be loaned at no charge, respectively for an equipment care and maintenance fee.
Young media producers from schools and ex-school education facilities can use the facilities of the media laboratory. Equipment and workplaces are available for media and multimedia productions. The Bureau offers further education courses for teachers and employees of ex-school education facilities.