archives

archives

The Archives of Traditional Music

The Archives of Traditional Music

, , Library Resources
On wax cylinders, aluminum and lacquer discs, open reel tape, wire and cassette tape, Chinese folk songs commingle with Native American narrative songs and Sea Islands protest songs.  Here the works of Hoagy Carmichael rub shoulders with traditional songs of the Ainu, a people native to the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan.  With over 120,000 audio recordings spread out over 4000 collections, the Archives of Traditional Music is one of the country’s most important repositories of recorded music history.  This blog will dive into a handful of the collections available there. The Lawrence Gellert Collection Collector Lawrence Gellert (born 1898, disappeared 1979) possessed a sincere, if homegrown, interest in Black folk music.  His family immigrated to the US from … Continued
Spotlight on local Black history

Spotlight on local Black history

, Library Resources
With its history as a hub for the automotive, recording and agricultural industries, Richmond can boast a rich tradition of Black historical movers and shakers.  Since Black History Month takes place every February, this month is an excellent time to become better acquainted with Black contributions to local businesses, culture and history. The IU East Campus Library and its archives can help assist in retelling the stories of Black pioneers who helped shape Richmond. In 2005 and 2006, IU East students collected oral histories from Black Richmond residents.  As the finding aid for this collection explains, these interviews span several topics ranging from segregation and prejudice to careers and family and offer a fascinating snapshot of life in Richmond.  These … Continued
Drop-in Poetry and more at your Campus Library

Drop-in Poetry and more at your Campus Library

, , , Library Resources
Every April since 1996, the US has celebrated National Poetry Month.  While the Academy of American Poets has developed a 30-day list of activities, the IU East Campus Library has resources and databases to help students, staff and faculty observe year ‘round.  To kick things off this year, the Library is hosting a drop-in poetry activity on Thursday, April 13 from 12:30 to 1:30 PM. Snacks will be provided for this free, fun event The Library has an array of poetry books and databases.  From books by former US Poet Laureate Joy Harjo to a video about current US poet laureate Ada Limon, the library offers a variety of materials to assist with research.  The library’s list of poetry databases … Continued
Archival treasures

Archival treasures

, , , Jesse Whitton, Library Resources, Research
Archives provide entry to a history of treasures that document people, places, and events. In addition to physical archives, many open-access archives are available, ranging in topics from government and historical documents found at the National Archives, to code making and breaking in the Cryptology ePrint Archives, and historical children’s books available via the Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature. Below are just a select few of the many archives available online. Photo from: Internet Archives – Cookery Book Love Food? Let’s get cooking! Cookbooks are windows into history that document daily life and provide snapshots of regional and cultural identify at a particular moment in time. Recently 10,000 vintage recipe books have been digitized and can be found in … Continued
Black Archives and Special Collections

Black Archives and Special Collections

, , Jesse Whitton, Research
Celebrate Black History Month by remembering and reflecting on the many people and groups who participated in the fight for civil rights. These Black Archives and Special Collections offer a range of materials from primary source documents to newspaper archives and podcasts. The New York Public Radio Archives & Preservation celebrates Black History Month by assembling a collection of their leading preservation work, series, and sonic artifacts focusing on African American history. Listen to opera singer Marian Anderson, who in 1955 was the First African American to sing at the Metropolitan Opera House, addresses some of the prejudice and segregation she experienced. One instance that Anderson recounts is when she received the Key to the City from the Atlantic City’s … Continued