Locating Sound Recordings
The Recorded Sound Section of the Library of Congress maintains
a collection of nearly 3,500,000 recordings, with new acquisitions averaging
from 75,000 to 100,000 yearly. What follows is an estimate
of the percentage of certain categories of material to be found
in SONIC,
the percentage available in the Library's main catalog (the Integrated
Library System or ILS), and the pecentage available by contacting
the Section's reference staff. Please note that field recordings
made by the Library are excluded from this matrix and researchers
interested in this material should contact the Folklife
Reading Room.
MUSICAL RECORDINGS
| Type of Recording |
% in ILS |
% in SONIC
|
% Available
by contacting
Reference Staff |
| Pre-1948 commercial recordings |
1 |
50 |
49 |
| Unreleased broadcast recordings |
1 |
80 |
19 |
| Commercially released broadcast recordings |
33 |
33 |
33 |
| Performers private collections |
40 |
50 |
10 |
| Audio cassette and CD-R copyright deposits |
5 |
95 |
|
| 45 rpm discs |
1 |
99 |
|
| LPs |
50 |
|
50 |
| Newport Jazz Festival (unpublished) |
|
100 |
|
| Newport Jazz Festival (commercial) |
100 |
|
|
| Library of Congress Music Division Concerts |
100 |
|
|
 Top
of Page
SPOKEN WORD RECORDINGS
| Type of Recording |
% in ILS |
% in SONIC |
% Available
by contacting
Reference Staff |
| Radio programs |
5 |
70 |
25 |
| Notable individuals |
33 |
43 |
23 |
| Significant historical events |
33 |
33 |
33 |
| NBC Radio |
|
90 |
10 |
| WOR AM Radio (Mutual) |
50 |
|
50 |
| BBC |
|
|
100 |
| National Public Radio |
5 |
|
95 |
| Armed Forces Radio and Television Service |
2 |
15 |
83 |
| Literary readings |
70 |
20 |
10 |
| WWII Marine Corps combat recordings |
|
100 |
|
|
The
Library of Congress >> Researchers
