UCSB Library Receives NEH Grant to Digitize Historic Sound Recordings

Thousands of historic sound recordings held by UCSB Library will soon be freely accessible online thanks to a prestigious $349,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

 “Tens of thousands of recordings that never made it to CDs or digital services line the shelves of public archives, unheard,” said David Seubert, curator for UCSB Library’s Performing Arts Collection and project director for the newly announced NEH grant. “We’re working to change that.”

The grant will support the expansion of the Discography of American Historical Recordings online database through the creation of 14,000 discographic records of recording sessions produced by Victor and Bluebird record labels as well as the digitization of 8,500 recordings made between 1925 and 1948.

“This will bring decades of little-known recordings to the public’s attention, from the era that is arguably one of the most creative and influential in American music,” said Seubert.