KT Lowe

KT Lowe

The Archives of Traditional Music

The Archives of Traditional Music

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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
Freedom of Information

Freedom of Information

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A free society is predicated on transparency and access to information.  The ability to examine records generated by public entities can help expose controversies and keep people in power in check.  Moreover, a well-informed society is better equipped to make good decisions regarding its future.  These public records laws, known as “sunshine laws”, set ground rules for promoting and preserving access.  With National Freedom of Information Day on March 16, it is important to revisit the process of asking for public information, which is done through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The Freedom of Information Act was passed in 1966 and signed into law by then-president Lyndon Johnson.  It was updated in 2016 to accommodate electronic records.  With … Continued
Research lifelines for 2024

Research lifelines for 2024

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A new year means new classes, new studies and maybe a new approach to doing research.  But all this newness can be difficult to navigate.  Thankfully, there is a solution, available to every student, faculty and staff member on campus.  The IU East Campus Library is here to help, with plenty of databases, finding aids and good advice to help students, staff and faculty in engaging with a new year’s worth of learning. The new A-Z list Looking for a more organized, simpler way to find important databases?  The library recently launched a revised Databases A-Z list, with numerous features that help with finding information.  The library includes databases for all subjects taught at IU East, along with broader spectrum … Continued
Nonfiction graphic novels

Nonfiction graphic novels

, , , books
Graphic novels can be thought of as illustrated long-form stories, and can cover a variety of subjects.  From tales of postmodern antiheroes to renditions of popular fiction, graphic novels have been both celebrated and derided.  The IU East Campus Library has developed a collection of graphic novels for both research and reading enjoyment, including a strong selection of nonfiction offerings.  Below is a description of just a few of the library’s titles. Gender Queer, Maia Kobabe More than a coming out story, Kobabe’s book is an odyssey of gender fluidity.  Kobabe, who uses e/er/eir pronouns, uses eir life as a focal point for understanding gender and sexuality from bodily, emotional and relational perspectives.  The loosely drawn, invitingly illustrated book is … Continued
Music for social movements

Music for social movements

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Music is essential to social movements throughout American history.  From the Revolutionary War to modern civil rights protests, music has invigorated the masses, served as a cultural touchstone for future generations, and galvanized communities to take action.  This is true not only in the United States but throughout the world.  A quick overview of protest music, with a look at the future of the form, is important to understanding the role of music in securing rights and freedoms.  The very first American protest song was written probably in 1755 by a British doctor.  Known today as “Yankee Doodle”, it was originally written as a taunt to American colonists who were viewed as childish, immature and lacking in strength.  When the … Continued