Music & Dance

WOSU Collection

The WOSU Collection of c. 22,500 vinyl LP recordings was donated to the Music & Dance Library in the latter 1990s, when the WOSU stations switched from analog recordings to digital. The Collection comprises the classical instrumental and vocal LPs purchased or received as gifts at WOSU-FM beginning in the mid 1950s (the FM station went on the air in 1949), and popular and jazz LPs received by WOSU-AM in roughly the same period. (The AM station began broadcasting in 1922 as WEAO.) The popular discs are distinguished by a red border on their shelf labels. A large part of the classical collection is devoted to opera. Early 1950s stereo recordings are distinguished by an "S" in their call numbers. By and large, the collection is in excellent physical condition, particularly the classical and operatic recordings.

• Finding Aid

Access to the collection is provided by a card catalog stored in the closed stack area of the Music & Dance Library. The card catalog is divided into two parts. The first part provides access to the recordings from WOSU-FM. These are primarily classical instrumental and vocal LPs. Cards indexing the LPs shelved in the A-Z section of the collection are arranged alphabetically by composer and secondarily by title and subject entry. There are separate sections in the catalog for LPs shelved by topic or theme. In some cases these categories are subdivided by additional topics, such as composers and songs in the Broadway section. The second card catalog provides access to the gift from WOSU-AM. This