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Boston Public Library LPs going online

11 Oct 17 - 03:16 PM (#3881601)
Subject: Boston Public Library LPs going online
From: Stilly River Sage

They own 200,000 of them, and are apparently digitizing them.

http://www.wbur.org/artery/2017/10/11/boston-library-vinyl-records

The Boston Public Library has thousands of vinyl records — about 200,000, to be exact.

Until recently, the records from the BPL’s Sound Archives Collections were sitting in the library basement, collecting dust rather than being listened to. But soon that’s all going to change.

The BPL is transferring the records from its sound collection to longtime partner the Internet Archive, a nonprofit digital library, so they can be cataloged and digitized for public access.

“This brings collections that we have had, makes them accessible to the public but also will preserve the original materials as well,” says David Leonard, the BPL’s president.

The Internet Archive houses millions of historical collections of varying formats, including books, movies and software. The BPL’s substantial collection that's being transferred to the Internet Archive is part of the archive's broader Great 78 Project, which aims to collect, catalog and digitize millions of vinyl records.

The BPL’s collection spans much of the 20th century, with genres ranging from opera to pop to jazz and even spoken word on 78's and 33 1/3's.

Although the library has partnered with the Internet Archive for years to digitize its books, this is the first time the effort has moved into sound.

Leonard says past efforts have focused mostly on acquiring materials to expand the BPL’s collection, rather than making them available to the public.

But what good are all these records if no one can listen to them?

“It’s not enough just to have it; we need to make it accessible in the widest way possible,” says BPL Chief of Collections Laura Irmscher.


Read the rest of the story and find samples at the link.

11 Oct 17 - 03:19 PM (#3881604)
Subject: RE: Boston Public Library LPs going online
From: Stilly River Sage

They may not all technically be "LPs" but it was the only thing that would fit in the title that made sense. :)

11 Oct 17 - 03:20 PM (#3881606)
Subject: RE: Boston Public Library LPs going online
From: Bonnie Shaljean

Thanks so much for this! I went to college in Boston, and the Bipple [B.P.L.] was my go-to haven for anything that ailed or worried me - which was pretty much everything, in those angst-y Younger Days. I'm delighted to know of this archive.

11 Oct 17 - 05:28 PM (#3881635)
Subject: RE: Boston Public Library LPs going online
From: Thomas Stern

it would be a great benefit to music listeners to have
everything available online, BUT:

have they resolved copyright issues?

will access be limited to BPL cardholder's ??



Thomas.

11 Oct 17 - 05:30 PM (#3881636)
Subject: RE: Boston Public Library LPs going online
From: Stilly River Sage

They're working with the Internet Archive (AKA "Wayback Machine") so they have probably figured out how this sharing is going to work.

11 Oct 17 - 06:05 PM (#3881640)
Subject: RE: Boston Public Library LPs going online
From: Nick

We visited the Boston library a few years ago. What a wonderful place. One of my favourite memories of going to Boston. And the cafe was great value.

19 Feb 18 - 06:36 PM (#3906784)
Subject: RE: Boston Public Library LPs going online
From: keberoxu

also true of me:
an alumna of a Boston institution of higher learning
who often frequented BPL for its collection.

It's an enormous place in Copley Square in Boston's Back Bay.

And years ago it was popular with the homeless/street people,
wonder if that is still the case.

19 Feb 18 - 10:40 PM (#3906820)
Subject: RE: Boston Public Library LPs going online
From: Gurney

That is a lovely idea.
I only wonder if whoever made the decision has any idea of the tedious labour digitizing would cost! About 45mins for every LP. More if you turn them into CDs.

I only hope that there gadgets to help, but I don't know any way of speeding up the cleaning, playing, and turning over and repeating process for side B.
If there are gadgets, I'd like to hire one!

21 Feb 18 - 02:44 PM (#3907012)
Subject: RE: Boston Public Library LPs going online
From: GUEST,CJB

Bringing hidden dusty sound archives back into the pubic domain where they belong is a noble ideal. Sadly the Library of Congress keeps a lot out of the public domain. And its also a pity that the British Library Sound Archive doesn't do likewise.

Even in the folk collection at the BL there are archives of recordings of say traditional performers that only members of recognised academia are allowed to access. Some of the collectors contribute to threads here.

Why should such media be restricted access to academics only?