UT Libraries Scores Treasure Trove of Music
UT music lovers are in for quite a treat. A collection of nearly 60,000 CDs and more than 4,000 LPs from past decades is the newest and grooviest addition to the Fine Arts Library on campus.
Travis Willman, communications officer at UT Libraries, says this new arrival not only adds to the library’s preexisting music archive, but also to the overall value of the entire collection.
“Our current selection of CDs and and vinyl LPs almost doubled after this new acquisition,” Willman says.
The source of this treasured collection is KUT Public Media, the radio station at the University. It was transferred from the station’s music library in order to make more space for their new music service, KUTX 98.9.
“It’s truly a massive collection. With the right resources, it will most likely take few years to get it all sorted and filed away,” Willman says.
A compilation of various genres and styles, these CDs and vinyl LPs span nearly 50 years of musical history. From pop music to international tunes from across the globe, there’s a little something for everyone to enjoy.
“We managed to pull some oddballs out of that enormous stack, like music from Star Trek and even some German drinking songs,” Willman says.
But an extraordinary historical value lies beneath this pile of quirky tunes. Willmann says there is a good chance this music will never be reprinted or renewed again, and that’s all the more reason to conserve its irreplaceable value.
“A good number of these albums still contain the original notes and individual critiques from the DJs,” he says. “Something like that has to be preserved.”
Students and faculty at the University will soon be able to reap the benefits of this valued collection. It is anticipated to be quite a hit, especially in courses that focus on music and its antiquity.
“Having access is going to be a great opportunity for students and teachers to take advantage of. This music gives them a chance to discover and explore musical history,” Willman says.
Photo courtesy UT Libraries.
