Dear Randy and Va-Histers, 

Jay Gaidmore, the Library of Virginia's Private Papers Program Manager,
is not on the list but I asked him if you would respond to Randy's post
regarding our audio collections.  He has been working on our WRVA
records, a project that is described below, and I thought he could shed
some light on what we collect and why.  His response is appended.

Gregg

Gregg D. Kimball
Director of Publications
  and Educational Services
Library of Virginia
804/692-3722
[log in to unmask]

______________________________________________________

Dear Mr. Cabell,

I read your post with great interest.  The Library of Virginia does
selectively collect audio and moving image materials, such as film and
video, especially those of a unique nature and format not available
commercially or duplicated at other institutions.  The material also has
to relate to Virginia.  Most of the time, these audio and moving image
materials are part of a larger collection of papers or records.  If
another institution has taken the time and spent the money to preserve
the same sound recording or moving image, it is not in our best
interests to duplicate these efforts.  Indeed, no one institution could
possibly collect and preserve the full range of such materials and each
has a role to play.  State institutions such as the Blue Ridge Institute
and Museum at Ferrum College and regional and national collections such
as the Southern Folklife Collection at UNC Chapel Hill and the Library
of Congress have long collected Virginia material with specific goals
and collection parameters in mind.  There are many others, of course.  

It is very important that not only Virginia's musical heritage is
preserved, but sound recordings in general are preserved. The voices of
past Governors, politicians, entertainers, and recordings of events are
all in danger of being lost. 
  
Here at the Library of Virginia we have taken one small step in
preserving the recorded sound heritage of Virginia.  With a grant from
the NHPRC, we have been able to preserve sound recordings of WRVA radio
from 1929-1995.  Obsolete and deteriorating recordings were converted to
CD and are know available for use at our Library.  These sound
recordings include music from the Old Dominion Barn Dance, the Silver
Star Quartet, and the Sunshine Hour.  We have also preserved speeches by
Governors James H. Price, William Tuck, Thomas B. Stanley, J. Lindsay
Almond, Albertis Harrison, and Mills E. Godwin, and Senators Carter
Glass, A. Willis Robertson, and Harry F. Byrd.  News coverage of
tornadoes, hurricanes, elections, the General Assembly, and Massive
Resistance have also been preserved.

To give you an idea of the breadth of the collection, we also have a
recording of interview WRVA conducted with Carson T. Overstreet in
August 1962 concerning the defection of his foster son, James Dresnock,
to North Korea.  With an upcoming documentary in the works, Dresnock has
been receiving a lot of news lately.  

Each of these recordings have been cataloged individually in our
Archives and Manuscript Catalog at http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/
.  A subject or author search for WRVA will return catalog records for
over 600 recordings.  A complete listing of the WRVA sound recordings,
along with other records of the station, can be found at
http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaead/published/lva/vivadoc.pl?file=vi0056
5.xml through the Virginia Heritage Database, a union database of
finding aids of archival and manuscript collections in special
collections and archives throughout Virginia. 

One of the most important things we learned about this project is how
expensive it is to preserve sound recordings.  Equipment is expensive
and slowly becoming difficult to find.  Also, while technology enables
us to convert these analog recordings to digital, it is a time-consuming
and laborious process.  We are setting up a small sound laboratory here
at the Library and should be able to convert small numbers of
recordings.  But even this laboratory could not accommodate the number
of records WRVA donated to us.  We needed a grant and an outside vendor
to help.  

Sincerely, Jay

______________________________
Jay Gaidmore
Private Papers Program Manager
The Library of Virginia
800 E. Broad St.
Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000
[log in to unmask]
Voice (804) 692-3629
Fax (804) 692-3603



-----Original Message-----
From: Randy Cabell [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2004 7:31 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: The musical sounds of Virginia.


A couple of years ago when I was adding photos and sound clips to the
family genealogy file, I realized the complete lack of sound.  I have a
photo from 1863 of my GGrandfather, Capt Hugh McGure, CSA, and of course
lots of photos of folks since then.  But I do not even have a recording
of the voices of my Father or Mother!

Consequently, when I read a very nice response from Edward Campbell @
the Library of Virginia about them NOT having any recordings of Virginia
Music, it occurred what a terrible void this is.  I appreciate budget
constraints, limited resources, and I am not beating on the LOF.  On the
other hand, I find it disheartning that there is apparently no place I
can go and 'listen through' Virginia musicians like Patsy Cline, the
wealth of folk singers from the Bristol area, Virginia brass bands, et
al. 

Does anybody know of any Virginia instutions that have committed to
preserve the audio part of our Virginia musical heritage?

Randy Cabell
Band of the 19th Virginia Heavy Arty Bn



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