Survey of the State of Audio Collections in Academic Libraries

Aggregate respondent total from surveys = 82
Summary includes data received from pilot participants
Surveys = 2 (27 ARL group interviews; 55 Oberlin group electronic responses)
Institutions represented = 69 (18 ARL; 51 Oberlin)
Institutions submitting multiple responses = 7 (5 ARL; 2 Oberlin)

Percentages cited represent the portion of the respondent groups answering individual questions. While the percentage represents an aggregate of both respondent groups, all respondents did not answer all questions all of the time.

Please note: Respondent answers to open-ended questions have been edited for clarity. Grammar and punctuation errors made by the respondents have not necessarily been corrected.

1.0 ACCESS

[1.1] What are the major strengths of your recorded sound holdings? (open-ended question)

58 respondents (27 ARL; 31 Oberlin)

[N.B., Redundant responses have been excluded from the list below; numbers do not represent coding for the respondent institutions.]

ARL Responses:

Classical music, ethnomusicology selections, lectures and speeches, performances by faculty, students and guest artists at music school from 1945 forward.
The archives of the Ad Council; Carl Sandburg audio recordings (including some instantaneous discs he produced); campus events and other recordings including the radio station; oral histories.
Music, foreign language lab, anthropology, ancient Near East, Oriental Institute.
Western music, popular culture, jazz, oral history, holdings of local interest.
Early popular music; jazz; classical; many cylinders; Latin 45s; opera; voices and speeches.
Classical music, political science and cultural events, psychology, performing arts. The collections include 78s and cylinders to CDs and other digital formats.
Western music, jazz, theatre, history, language.
Recorded sound [holdings] are eclectic by design, including music, politics, labor, popular culture, sports, World War Two era broadcasting, journalism, and lots of voices, oral histories.
Post-1950 concert jazz, other music, performance arts, labor and politics oral histories, speeches, and events.
Speeches on public policy given at the Commonwealth Club of California meetings, 1944 to the present. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty broadcast archive, circa 1951 to present. Smaller audio collections in primarily textual collections documenting political, social, and economic change in the 20th and 21st centuries; including pre-presidential radio addresses of Ronald Reagan, Ella Wolfe oral histories, speeches and lectures of Sir Karl Popper, etc.
Classical vocal and instrumental music collection to support research and teaching. Collection broadened to include American popular and jazz music performances, and a variety of other genres, and spoken word recordings, on a variety of formats from cylinders to CD, magnetic and digital tape, commercially and privately produced.
American poetry, history of science and technology in Silicon Valley, Mexican American history, and world government development (UN proceedings).
Music, spoken word, poetry readings, congressional papers collections (including sound recordings), speeches, lectures, drama (including sound effects), Native peoples' folklore and language recordings.
Linguistics collections such as cylinder collection of Northwest Indians, Jewish story, Poetry, Drama, including sound effects.
Unique spoken word; US political history; Politics of New York City; African American History; Yiddish Language; American dialects; poetry.
Houston and Austin Symphonies, Radio Dramas from the 1940's to mid 1960's, off air recordings of New Orleans Radio Opera programs and NBC Radio Metropolitan Opera programs, Ross Russell's Dial Records Bebop collection, Texas and Southwestern music, Radio Programs broadcast throughout the Southwest from the 60s, 70s, and 80s including programs on the Mexican American experience and Latin American news; collection of 1960s to date folklore (music and spoken word) relating to Texas, Operas performed in Dallas And Fort Worth, musicals and concerts performed by the Dallas and FT. Worth symphonies.
Politics and government, music and oral histories
Social protest items and poetry readings of writers.
Western classical music, ethnographic music (East Asian genres), film and musical theatre, soundtracks, traditional and popular music.
Yiddish language, Judaica, oral histories.
Western classical music, American popular music, unique spoken word, US political history (New Deal, World Wars, Vietnam); New York City politics; journalism; philanthropy; arts; international relations and history (China, Middle East, Latin America, Africa); woman's history; African American History; legal history; history of science and medicine; Yiddish language; American dialects; recordings of poetry and authors.
Classical Music; Contemporary Art and Music from Nordic Countries; Polar expeditions studies (Admiral Richard E. Byrd Expeditions radio transcriptions disks, etc.). Cartoon research recordings (oral histories, Festival of Cartoon Art presentations), Literary recordings (James Thurber, William S. Burroughs), Theater research recordings.
West European Classics; World Music; Jazz; American Music Theatre; Stage Plays; Poetry.
Oral histories, National Labor Relations Board, union leaders and members; union conventions and labor leaders' speeches; labor music; almost exclusively 20th C.
Radio broadcasts, political and feminist; university collections, including lectures and interviews; oral histories; individual collections (e.g., Joyce Brothers).
Jazz, popular music, vintage radio programs, rock 'n' roll, blues, country and opera.

Oberlin responses:

Traditional Western music of the 20th century, World music collection with emphasis on the music of African cultures.
New classical music, jazz, ethnomusicology collections
Jazz, classical, romantic period, and American folk recordings. Also small collection of recordings to compliment courses on 'The Mass' and 'Brahms', as well as course on 'Conducting'. LP recordings by women folk and early rock singers.
Early music, Baroque, classical, Romantic, 20th-21st century music, jazz, world music, popular music.
Western art music, Native American music, Asian music, Jazz, Quaker history
Ethnomusicology, jazz, classical music.
Documentation of American popular music ca. 1900-1940 (Paul Whiteman Collection) oral histories of college personnel and area residents covering the history of higher education and our local area.
Folklore and folk music Literature Economics International and Domestic Political Science Religion College history.
Western classical music jazz audio books rhythm and blues African music
Folk music American literature Lectures by significant religious, cultural and political figures
Classical music, modern music, world music, jazz and popular music. - Voice recordings of eminent literary and political figures.
Classical music, western European art music, jazz, contemporary music
Standard Western classical repertory; Jazz; range of musical genres by serious contemporary composers, American composers
Early music; Keyboard music
No particular major strengths; uneven collection based on the selection of materials by faculty at a small college
Literature; Sewanee History

[1.2] Name up to five recorded sound collections or individual items of high importance in your library which are currently not accessible and why they are not accessible. (open-ended question)

54 respondents (27 ARL; 27 Oberlin)

[N.B., Redundant responses deleted; numbers do not represent coding for respondent institutions.]

ARL Responses:

[UNIVERSITY] performances; musicals from private collectors not accessioned yet; over 12,000 operas; early music archive; ethnomusicology archive; also collection of [musical performer and composer] recordings.
[American poet] material on obsolete formats; [non-profit organization] archives--although everything is there and physically accessible--in some cases we may not have the equipment to play backÉ. Some of the material is getting fragileÉ The collections cited would be 'media obsolescent.'
[Jazz Collection] from 20s and 30s; Field recordings on Edison cylinders - no machine; chamber music/new music – un-catalogued; [Jazz Collection] on videotape; and [folk songs] from 1974 to 1985 - ownership issues.
[popular American] music (not accessible); [a Jazz Collection] (not processed, not catalogued); Oral history collections (accessible only via written transcripts).
Cylinders, wax especially, is in need of a grant to preserve. Also have some tinfoil items in need of preservation.
[UNIVERSITY] does preservation on demand, thus most everything is accessible. The [academic center] includes recordings from the 50s - 80s; symphony orchestra recordings - no preservation masters; collection of early 78s and wax recordings.
Entire collection of [spoken word]; [UNIVERSITY] Poetry Collection; Opera; concerts; musical theatre; [jazz musician]; and, collection of dictating machine belts of [major political figure] dictating memoirs.
Everything is accessible. Items on exotic formats need cataloging: news broadcasts from the 70s and 80s on 7-inch reels of magnetic tape; collection on glass discs. Cataloging is our biggest problem.
Oral history of the American Left; Labor songs on tape; concert music.
Audio [broadcast] archive not yet processed; É large in size, with increments still being received, processing ongoing.
[Collections] have no or minimal bibliographic access because of limited staffing, the receipt of large collections, and the inability of traditional cataloging and methods of archival description to deal with processing very large collections of musical and other sound recordings. Other items: [music festival] tape archives -- unplayable due to "Sticky-Shed Syndrome"; [opera performer] Collection -- tapes are extremely fragile and should not be played except for preservation purposes; [instrumentalist] Collection of private test pressings -- not catalogued and no finding aid is available; Transcription disc recordings [of radio broadcasts] are not catalogued; 78 rpm and LP collections are not catalogued.
[NAME] papers -- access restricted pending processing; [political activist] papers -- access is restricted pending preservation reformatting; [national council] records --large size has impeded efforts to make accessible to researchers; [designer and futurist] collection -- reformatting of this collection has begun but size of the collection means much of is still closed to researchers; [international organization] Audio Collection of 35,000 transcription tapes -- size of this collection and the projected costs of preservation digitization have impeded efforts to make this collection accessible.
While all recorded sound is accessible, some items require more time to serve than others due to their condition. Some of these collections include holdings from the [center for native languages]; [NAME] Poetry collection.
All collections are accessible, some more easily than others, due to the need to process some items before handing them to users. This is due to some deterioration (especially sticky-shed among magnetic tape holdings).
All collections are accessible--some more easily than others depending on their condition.
Radio Drama series, oral histories with Texas themes, Mexico Folklore collection, and a collections of recordings featuring [mystery writer], [pop artist], and others located in the [UNIVERSITY]'s humanities center.
Oral histories, language recordings in Yiddish, materials are generally less well controlled and usually scattered within collections of other media.
First, is [historical figure] oral history - originals are fragile 2) [historical figure] oral history - no bibliographic control 3) [civil rights organization] - fragile, no bibliographic control 4) political oral histories in general - ca 4000 fragile recordings 5) popular arts oral histories in general - fragile early cassette format 6) [UNIVERSITY] Opera workshops - no bib control, no equipment to play outdated format.
One is Classical MusicÉ. Not accessible because there are first generation (original) formats only. 2) [UNIVERSITY] history. These are accessible. 3) Polar studies (expedition transcription disks) these are accessible. 4) Literary recordings Levels of cataloging are not extensive. 5) Theatre research recordings. Levels of cataloging are not extensive.
Various field recordings; Indian Music (field recordings); new music; Judaica Collections; [poetry and spoken word].
[union oral histories] - tape degradation; [labor leaders] - tape degradation; [national labor organizations] - permissions;
[broadcast shows and news]; [UNIVERSITY] Public Affairs Education Program; Alumni University Lectures; [UNIVERSITY] President interviews around [student unrest]; [1960s activists] project.
Oral history recordings of World War II experiences, the home-front during WWII in [NAME] County, and student life.

Oberlin responses:

Oral history documenting the college, World War II experiences on the home front, and student life. There are interesting only to this community providing an oral record of the institution..
Everything in our collection is accessible to members of the faculty, staff, and students.
We don't carry any rare sound collections. None of our recordings are available to off campus users b/c of damage & theft.
All holdings are currently accessible.
Alumni Oral History; [NAME] Lectures; Public Affairs Symposiums
Gift of Broadway musicals would be invaluable for voice instructors; but the collection remains uncatalogued; 2) gift from a former professor, his entire LP collection, also remains in storage until we can catalog each title.
Portion of LP collection resides in off-site Depository; Gift (17,000 LPs) is accessible through the inventory list only.
[NAME] Collection of Recorded Jazz.
All of our sound collection is accessible.
Almost everything is fully cataloged. However, the original, archival recordings of all the on-campus concerts, and most of these items are not currently cataloged at all. Also, do not currently loan any of materials through interlibrary loan.
[NAME] radio transcription discs: need to be re-inventoried and re-transferred (older transfer project was not done well); wax cylinder collection -- not reformatted, nor has availability through another institution or reprint recordings been researched; earlier oral history projects -- no releases gathered at the time, nor were transcripts, use copies or dup. masters made
Everything is accessible
[NAME] ballad collection; [NAME] folk music collection; [NAME] writers school and conference; [NAME] Center lecture archives
College music ensemble 78's and 33 1/3 LPs -- not cataloged; college historian talks-- reel/reel, not cataloged, format not usable
Recordings of informal discussion between students and [civil rights leaders] (2 tapes) -- on large reel-to-reel requires reformatting (preservation and access copies on CD); Senior seminar lectures, 1966-1972, include wide variety of topics and many guest lecturers (ca. 300 tapes) -- only bibliographic control is via local database in Special Collections; currently on various size reel-to-reel audiotape - requires reformatting (preservation copies on CD, access copies as needed)
Not applicable; all recordings are accessible
College recital/concert recordings - not cataloged yet; Collection of nearly 2000 vinyl jazz recordings - approx. 1/2 not cataloged yet
Two audio CDs with copy of [NAME] collection housed in Special Collections -- notation of the sound recordings is buried in the bibliographic information in the catalog record for the item and actually accessing the CDs from the Special Collection area is difficult; approximately 130 spoken word recordings that are not cataloged.
[local] history collection.

[1.3a] How does your library promote the use of recorded sound? (open-ended question)

55 respondents (27 ARL; 28 Oberlin)

ARL Respondents

Through [OPAC] and on-line exhibits featuring sound. The sound archives also has a strong community outreach program.
Each area does this differently and has different reasons for promoting or not promoting. Archives are not eager for people to come and use all of very old recordings and equipment. Music library and the media center -- geared to students--are accessible. Do try to respond to faculty and student requests for classroom or studio assignments.
Not much promotion. None outside catalog, inventory lists. Some promotion of the [NAME] collection.
On line catalog; bibliography; newsletters.
Public web site, digital archives, oral history web site.
Do not promote. The institution has international status. There is also a Web site.
There is a Web site for special collections and performing arts; there are liaisons with faculty; and always press releases and publicity for new collections.
The library does not promote itself. Scholars, teaching assistants, and professors are aware of what we have.
The media come to us to use materials we hold in the [language lab]. We have a Web site, and a brochure. We have theatre and history scholars visiting us regularly to get the 'nuances' obtainable from sound unavailable from printed matter. We also have a number of public domain items posted on line.
Catalogs mainly. We promote the special collections in general catalogs, newsletters, web pages.
Collection level records for all collections are available. Finding aids with additional information on the recordings are available for many collections via the online state archive. Exhibit É was on display at the [NAME] pavilion [for 9 months]. A dedicated Web site for the [NAME] collection is available on the Web. More than five hours of [political figure]'s speeches have been published on audiocassettes É which represents the opening of this audio archive.
The [NAME] archive has a Website and brochures. The [NAME] publication programs produced several recordings from the collection. The staff participates in organizations such as ARSC.
Electronic EAD finding aids to sound collections are available over the Web. --Faculty outreach through the library's curatorial staff.
With the use of recorded sound increasing, the need for promotion may not be that important. We promote via our Web pages and catalogs and report new holdings when new acquisitions occur.
The media center holds more popular matter and is more self-promoting via its Web page and via professors and teaching assistants who speak about the audio holdings. Acquisition lists are provided and word of mouth generally brings interest in the collection thereafter.
The music library is self-promoting, considering the extensive music program. New CD acquisitions are promoted on the library Web site; discussion with instructors and word of mouth among students
There is some promotion including lectures and speeches by curators, Web pages, catalogs, otherwise--not much organized promotion. There is more use of CDs around the campus.
Through the catalog and finding aids.
There is some cataloging by item. Others processed as part of an archives, and merely listed in a finding aid.
All students may borrow CDs for at least three days at a time. Otherwise, the library does not need to promote the collection. It promotes itself. Recordings can be browsed in the catalog.
Finding aids, item level descriptions.
Provides playback equipment. Cataloging availability. Item level and archival finding aids for some collections of unique materials.
The library provides playback equipment for standard formats. -- Most commercial recordings are catalogued. -- Item level or archival finding aids for some collections of unique materials.
Primarily through the library's online public access catalog.
One site listings; circulation of materials; also Music Library of Circulating Collections; Curator lectures and speeches; streaming audio for major courses.
Described in guides and finding aids; online catalog records in local and national utilities; selected topics noted on the Internet; described in instructional sessions.

Oberlin responses:

By word of mouth. I am often invited to give guest lectures in a variety of classes where music is pertinent, and encourage members of the class to make use of our collection (Latin American History, French literature, etc.) A small number of new releases are displayed on our new bookshelf.
Librarians meet w/ faculty, explain to students how to look up recordings in the catalog
Most acquisitions are at the suggestion of particular faculty for their use. All materials are listed in the public catalogue. No special promotion of materials
Our classical collection is housed in a large glass enclosed room visible on the main floor. Our collection is not currently publicized or promoted. However, the project is in the early stages of being list in archival finding aides.
We do not actively promote its use. It is a non-circulating collection and serves the needs of the music faculty in their teaching.
The recording and score collections moved into the library nine years ago and immediately increased the limited hours of operation from 20 to 84 per week. By virtue of bringing the collection into the library (away from an overcrowded and out of the way location) began to see the foot traffic by non-majors and non-music faculty increase. Within a year of opening the Music Listening Room in the library began to provide a central location to fully catalog and house donations they had received and previously held in office closets and our cataloger makes sure each recording is fully cataloged down to individual tracks in the online catalog. Lastly, address new faculty, demonstrating how to search catalog for recordings they might need in class.
Recordings circulate to the College faculty/staff and students. They also circulate in a limited way to [regional] faculty and students. Music electronic reserves are now available through Blackboard course pages. College faculty and students make suggestions for purchase which are fulfilled whenever possible.
Have no programs at present to promote use of the collections. The [NAME] Collection was a gift that is in the process of being inventoried and cataloged. Other collections exist primarily to support curricular demand.
Through the catalog
Online catalog and streaming audio for reserves
Subject lists full cataloging working directly with faculty website
Listening stations with cd/audiocassette players in the library. Professors are encouraged to place audiocassettes on reserve, so students may listen to them in the library. Also have been assisting professors with using sound files in their Blackboard course pages.
Online catalog. New acquisitions lists.
Web presence. Word-of-mouth. Beginning stages of collaboration between Media Services and Special Collections to develop an audio/visual archive.
Library fully catalogs all sound recording and audio books. Audiobooks have been assigned a special subject heading that facilitates collection browsing. Musical cds are cataloged with special pre-stamp descriptors such as Popular, Medieval, Jazz and Ethnomusicology, and shelved by these categories improving user access.
Extensive analytics in library catalog; working with faculty in area studies to provide music related to curricula and courses; new acquisition lists and displays
Music library highlights new additions to their collection on their webpage. Have also added a small collection of audiobooks we will promote in our library newsletter.
Interest in recorded sound is generated via course requirements in the music and dance departments. Other academic departments also use the collection, as do performers (campus and community). The music librarian writes articles from time to time for campus newsletters to promote use of recordings, and the library brochure describes the collection. Bibliographic instruction provides staff with the opportunity to promote the use of the recordings, too.
We promote thoughtful use of information, regardless of format when copyright/use restrictions allow, copies are provided for researchers and classroom use; web site for the [NAME] Collection in the process of developing a searchable database of our oral history transcripts and audio
CD collection is cataloged in our OPAC. The LP collection, actually owned by the Music Department, is searchable from a card catalog in the music library.
New acquisitions displays seem to encourage people to browse and check out CD's. New CD lists in the OPAC will help as well. We have seen a significant increase in usage now that our facility has moved from the music building into a far more visible place in the main library.
Access is available in the on-line catalog.

[1.3b] Are you seeing any increased demand for recorded sound in teaching?

78% of respondents answering this question said YES

42 respondents (18 ARL; 24 Oberlin; 40 skipped this question)

[1.4a] Estimate the number of sound recording objects that are in your collection:

59 respondents (26 ARL, 33 Oberlin)

50,001 or more = 15 respondents (14 ARL; 1 Oberlin) 30%

10,001 – 50,000 = 19 respondents (8 ARL; 11 Oberlin) 35 %

5,001 – 10,000 = 11 respondents (1 ARL; 10 Oberlin) 17 %

1,001 – 5,000 = 7 respondents (2 ARL; 5 Oberlin) 12 %

101 – 1,000 = 4 respondents (1 ARL; 3 Oberlin) 2 %

1 – 100 = 3 respondents (3 Oberlin) 4 %

(23 skipped this question)

Taken separately, the ARL and Oberlin respondents differ widely with the majority of ARL respondents reporting recorded sound collection counts above 100,000 and Oberlin respondents reporting collections of up to 50,000 recorded sound objects.

[1.4b] How do you count your collection?

a) by titles = 18 respondents (5 ARL; 13 Oberlin) 32 %

b) by items = 38 respondents (26 ARL; 17 Oberlin) 68 %

(24 skipped this question)

Respondents in both surveys cited lack of cataloguing of their collections as the reason for counting by items.

[1.4.c] If you count by items, does a four disc set equal:

a) one item? 21 respondents (6 ARL;15 Oberlin) 44 %

b) four items? 24 respondents (17 ARL; 8 Oberlin) 54 %

c) eight items? 1 respondent (1 Oberlin) 2 %

(34 skipped this question)

[1.4d] How do you count duplicates? (open-ended question)

Duplicates counted in inventory. 28 respondents (12 ARL; 26 Oberlin) 33%

Do not count duplicates. 7 respondents (4 ARL; 3 Oberlin) 12 %

Duplicates are eliminated. 4 respondents (2 ARL; 2 Oberlin) 10 %

Do not have duplicates. 3 respondents (3 Oberlin) 4%

Keep separate duplicate inventory. 1 respondent (1 Oberlin) 2%

Duplicates are dubs of originals. 1 respondent (1 Oberlin) 2%

Did not answer. 38 respondents (4 ARL; 19 Oberlin) 37%

Respondents typically indicated their policy preference to be for not counting, or eliminating, duplicates from collection counts. But they indicated, this was not always practical, citing lack of cataloguing as the reason duplicates are included in totals.

[1.5] Other than your library in what units of your home institutions are sound collections held? (open-ended question)

Special Collections

PART 2 by David Randal Allen and Karen Allen

Extended Results of the Surveys
Combining Answers from the Two Survey Groups

PART 2 by David Randal Allen and Karen Allen

Extended Results of the SurveysCombining Answers from the Two Survey Groups

Extended Results of the Surveys
Combining Answers from the Two Survey Groups