Audio reels and digital audio tapes from the Jazz from the Archives collection will soon be digitized to support teaching, learning, and research at Rutgers.
The Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University Libraries, began work this fall on a grant-funded project to digitize the Jazz from the Archives collection. This vital work is possible through a $36,837 Recordings at Risk grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR).
Spanning 1979–2006, the Jazz from the Archives collection includes approximately 650 open reels and digital audio tapes (DATs) produced by Newark’s WBGO-FM and co-produced by the Institute of Jazz Studies.
These recordings capture rare alternate takes and feature in-depth interviews with renowned musicians, bandleaders, producers, and managers. Far more than a typical radio program, Jazz from the Archives offered a rich educational experience, making it a vital resource for Rutgers students and faculty, as well as scholars worldwide, students of all ages, and the public.
The collection has broad research value for those studying jazz, music, civil rights, American history, and the history of radio. Digitization will both preserve this at-risk material and expand access, ensuring that it can continue to inform teaching, learning, and scholarship for years to come. The digitized radio programs will be accessible through the Rutgers University Libraries digital repository (RUcore).
