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FOLK MUSIC, Folklife, Ethnographic Studies, Ethnomusicology Resources, Open folklore project

Alan Jabbour Director of the Archive of Folk Culture

The Center incorporates the Library's Archive of Folk Culture which was founded in 1928 as a repository for American folk music. The Center carries out its congressional mandate through its collections, programs, and services, which have touched all fifty states.

The American Folklife Center

The American Folklife Center in the Library of Congress was created by the U.S. Congress in 1976 through Public Law 94-201 and charged to "preserve and present American folklife."

The Open Folklore project

The Open Folklore Project is drawing a terrific map for societies unsure of how to proceed. Partnering with Indiana University libraries, the American Folklore Society is identifying where their literature is and how much of it is accessible, bringing attention to existing and potential open access journals, asking rights holders if material can be set free, digitizing gray literature so it will be preserved . . . these folks are sharp. And they're doing what scholarly societies should do: promoting the field and sharing its collective knowledge for the greater good.
Article by Ted Striphas on the bizarre blind spot that cultural studies scholars have about the system that they depend on for conveying ideas and (perhaps even in their wildest dreams) making a difference in the world. He points out that cultural studies often unpacks the politics of media - except for those media that they participate in most frequently. He takes issue with the claim that I and others make repeatedly, that they system is broken. He says on the contrary, "the system is functioning only too well" - it rakes in terrific profits based largely on unpaid labor and a captive workforce. It just doesn't work very well for scholars, He does a great job of analyzing the issues and laying out steps that cultural studies scholars should take. It's a rousing call to action, and it's perfectly tailored to the concerns of his field.
http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/library_babel_fish/open_to_change_how_open_access_can_work

The Folklife Center

The Folklife Center maintains a public reading room and reference service, sponsors concerts and events at the Library, and produces both print publications and published recordings from its collections. The Center initiates field research and also assists ethnographic researchers with an equipment loan program.

The Center also provides services via the Internet. The Folkline information service provides timely information on national events, jobs, and training opportunities in folklife. The Center's Web pages provide a developing area for multi-media information. Our first online collection is now available: California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties, an ethnographic field project documenting the music of a variety of European ethnic and English- and Spanish- speaking communities in Northern California collected by Sidney Robertson Cowell (pictured left: Mary Goshtigian playing the oud).

Folklife Sourcebook: A Directory of Folklife Resources in the United States, revised and expanded, 1997, is available online. Chapters include directories for archives, graduate programs, public agencies and organizations, serial publications, and more.

For an essay on American traditional culture, see Mary Hufford's essay American Folklife: A Commonwealth of Cultures. For more information about folklife collections at the Library of Congress see Folklife Resources in the Library of Congress.

Go to:

Publications of the American Folklife Center including full texts and information about published recordings. A Treasury of Library of Congress Field Recordings, new CD from Rounder Records. Brazilian Music from the Archive of Folk Culture, two new CDs released in cooperation with Rykodisc.

Parsons Fund for Ethnography at the Library of Congress Information about the Archive of Folk Culture including a growing list of guides to the collections.

A list of upcoming events sponsored by the American Folklife Center Folkline Information Service Information about our services to each of the fifty states A guide to other Internet resources related to ethnographic studiesInformation about the Folklife Center's gift funds for private donations. Address, phone numbers, and email information for the American Folklife Center Library of Congress Home Page

Library of Congress
Comments: lcweb@loc.gov (11/24/97)

Library of Congress
American Folklife Center
101 Independence Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20540-4610

The Center's Adminstrative Office and Reading Room are open 8:30 am - 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday (except federal holidays). The Folklife Reading Room is located on the ground floor of the Jefferson Building, LJ G49.

Please include your name, phone number, postal address, and electronic mail address (if any) in any queries so that we may respond in the manner that is most appropriate.

Reference queries may be sent to the Folklife Reading Room at:

Folklife Reading Room: (202) 707-5510
Fax: (202) 707-2076
Email: folklife@loc.gov

Questions about the Veterans History Project may be sent to:

Veterans History Project: (202) 707-4916
Fax: (202) 252-2046
Email: vohp@loc.gov

Austen, Theadocia, Program Specialist, Public Events
Phone: (202) 707-1743
Email: taus@loc.gov

Barton, John, Digital Conversion Specialist
Phone: (202) 707-5870
Email: jbar@loc.gov

Barton, Matthew
(202) 707-1733
Email: mbarton@loc.gov

Berry, Gene, Assistant to the Director
Phone: (202) 707-6710
Email: gber@loc.gov

Bartis, Peter, Project Manager, Veterans History Project
Phone: (202) 707-4919
Email: peba@loc.gov

Briggs, Myron,Digital Conversion Specialist
Phone: (202) 707-5873
Email: mbri@loc.gov

Bulger Peggy, Director (Division Chief)
Phone: (202) 707-1745
Email: mbul@loc.gov

Myron Briggs, Digital Conversion Specialist
Phone:(202) 707-5873
Email: mbri@loc.gov

Craig, Doris, Administrative Assistant
Phone:(202) 707-1736
Email: dcra@loc.gov

Cutting, Jennifer, Folklife Specialist, Reference
Phone:(202)707-1731
Email: jcut@loc.gov

Dyer, Sheila, Veterans History Project
Phone: (202) 707-8215
Email: sdyer@loc.gov

Gold, Jonathan
(202) 707-1728
jongold@loc.gov

Gray, Judith, Folklife Specialist, Reference
Phone: (202) 707-1740
Email: jugr@loc.gov

Hall, Stephanie A., Automation Librarian
Phone: (202) 707-1741
Email: shal@loc.gov

Harlow, Ilana, Folklife Specialist
Phone: (202) 707-1735
Email: ihar@loc.gov

Harvey, Todd, Folklife Specialist, Reference
Phone: (202) 707-8245
Email: tharvey@loc.gov

Hoog, Ann, Folklife Specialist, Reference
Phone: (202) 707-4428
Email: ahoo@loc.gov

Kerst, Catherine Hiebert, Archivist
Phone: (202) 707-1730
Email: cker@loc.gov

Kruesi, Margaret, Cataloger
Phone: (202) 707-9022
Email: mkru@loc.gov

Lee, Jason, Staff Assistant, Veterans History Project
Phone: (202)-707-0919
Email: jlee@loc.gov

Ng, Judy, Processing Technician, Veterans History Project
Phone: (202) 707-0923
Email: jng@loc.gov

Roberts, Timothy, Administrative Officer, Veterans History Project
Phone:(202) 707-4916
Email: trobe@loc.gov

Rouse, Sarah, Program Officer, Veterans History Project
Phone: (202) 707-0213
Email: srou@loc.gov

Segal, Marcia, Processing Technician
Phone: (202) 707-5861
Email: mseg@loc.gov

Shankar, Guha, Folklife Specialist
Phone: (202) 707-4430
Email: gshankar@loc.gov

Spiegel, Taru, Program Officer, Veterans History Project
Phone: (202) 707-9814
Email: tspi@loc.gov

Taft, Michael, Head of the Archive of Folk Culture
Phone:(202)707-1739
Email: mtaf@loc.gov

Taylor,David A., Folklife Specialist
Phone: (202) 707-1737
Email:dtay@loc.gov

Wallace, Andrew, Public Events Coordinator
Phone:(202)707-1732
email: awallace@loc.gov

Yeh, Nora, Archivist
Phone:(202)707-4426
Email: nyeh@loc.gov