BOULDER — Among the 200,000 items located inside the historic Carnegie Library in Boulder is a letter from famed author Stephen King.

King wrote the letter to the Boulder Daily Camera in 1974 with hopes of becoming the newspaper’s film critic.

“So the letter reads: Dear Sir, enclosed are a couple movie reviews. One of them is playing now in Boulder and one which will be playing shortly,” said Hope Arculin, a digital archivist at the library, who read the letter.

The letter goes on to explain why having a film critic would’ve been valuable for the Daily Camera.

“I think the city paper could use occasional movie reviews, both for the amusement of the paper’s readers and as a thumbnail guide for area moviegoers” it reads.

King then talks about his qualifications.

“I’m a professional writer,” he said. “(novelist contracting at present with Doubleday and Company with a book called CARRIE out in hardcover now”.

He goes on to talk about his love for movies.

“I don’t want to write snotty avant-garde reviews of obscure foreign films, but I would like the chance to shake down what’s playing at the Boulder or the Fox or the Basemar Twin Cinemas once or twice a week,” 

King then ended things on a funny note.

“I hope you’re interested,” he wrote. “And by the way, I work cheap”.

It’s unclear if the Boulder Daily Camera ever responded to King’s inquiry.

The letter is on file at the Carnegie Library in Downtown Boulder.