Sound of the Archives

Guess what I’m excited about tonight?

PODCASTS!

Ever since the Bancroft Library moved into their new building and I was often placed in the cold, lonely stacks to work by myself, I have listened to them. I first bought a refurbished iPod to combat the loneliness and creepiness (you try being in an aisle of cartons in a room off to the side with no windows because it’s underground and it’s cold and anyone could turn off the lights at any moment and who knows what’s in that exhaust fan??), but after two days or so I was so sick of my music I knew it was a mistake to buy the iPod at all. And then my super cool Dad asked, “Have you heard of This American Life?” The rest is history?

I first listened to the TAL collection, Stories of Hope and Fear, and loved it; I’ve been hooked since then. I went on to discover short stories from the New Yorker, The Moth, Stuff You Missed in History Class, Stuff Mom Never Told You, random “Learn Spanish!” or “Learn Russian!” podcasts, and more that I have since forgotten because I stopped listening to a long time ago. My current favourites are Marketplace, Planet Money, This American Life, 99% Invisible, Radiolab (which has beat out TAL as my #1), Third Coast International Audio Festival (re:Sound), Snap Judgment, and StoryCorps.

I always look forward to listening to them. I pretty much hate being interrupted on my way to or from class because it is prime listening time for me. I just think they are so full of life, and so interesting, and I have come to realize that the true reason I am so deeply invested and in love with archives is the stories they tell. Podcasts tell stories, just in sound instead of through letters or papers. Archives like oral histories, for the most part. Why have these two things not come together?

Well, that doesn’t have to be asked anymore, because with lots of support from my professor and great input from friends, it’s finally happened: I recorded a podcast session tonight!

I was nervous all day and made sure our “recording studio” (my study) was perfectly set up with my fairly cheap microphone and its very own stand — our laundry basket. I set up three chairs around said laundry basket, plugged in the microphone, downloaded Audacity (which was recommended to me by my longtime friend, Jorge over at the Experience Points podcast, who also used to work with me at the Bancroft Library during the golden years! Thank you Jorge for the help!), played with that, tried to go over my notes but found myself too frazzled, and then brought out the wine bottles. Laura and Prairie came over and confessed they were pretty nervous too! We knew it was just going to be the three of us but still, everything we say … recorded? This is new.

I purposefully want this podcast to be about archives, but in an informal, accessible sort of way. It’s not only meant to be a sort of marketing to the public but I do want anyone in the public to find it interesting too. I also want people in the field to find it interesting, obviously. The three of us are getting more of a post-modern, theory based education in archives now, so we might be ruffling some feathers, but I hope if we do, it’s in a constructive way. I see us interviewing archivists all over the country about their collections and telling funny little anecdotes. I see us talking to folks working with indigenous peoples about how to archive non-textual formats. I see us having a good time, but at the same time being a spokes-place for human rights and social justice in the archives.

We recorded for nearly 40 minutes. There’s only a little editing for me to do. I’ve learned how to “cut” already! Derek wrote us a song for it which I will be posting on our Facebook page soon, so I will also have to get a good recording of that and learn to edit the two together. We also want to have a logo contest for the website and for the Facebook page (please contact me if interested!). And, I need to work on the website. There’s a lot to do, but I’m excited for it. It’s already nearly 1am and I’ve been editing for a while when I should’ve been working on an outline for a paper. (Don’t tell, will you?)

So with that, I invite you to keep watch over us, and go Like us over at the Sound of the Archives Facebook page. We’ll keep you updated! I hope you are as enthusiastic as I am. :)

Sound of the Archives, first recording !

This is what good marketing looks like.

I felt incredibly privileged to attend Bookless, an excellent and extremely well-done event at the Madison Central Public Library. According to a few of my peers in my program who grew up here, the Central Library is one many people know, but it really needs an uplift. And that’s exactly what it is getting! I highly encourage you to continue to donate to the new library here.

Three students in the UW Madison program created this wonderful project centered around art inspired within libraries called Library as Incubator, and it has thrived since originally launched. It’s really quite imaginative and inspiring on its own. Because Bookless was so focused on art within the library, I actually thought the idea came from this project. However, according to their blog, the idea came from the Gallery Coordinator Trent Miller of the library as a fundraiser. And as far as I can tell, not only was the fundraiser a smashing success, the marketing of libraries was one too!

The first great idea that I loved from this event: it wasn’t targeted to only children & families or adults (and hipsters, haha). From 10am to 2pm, families were highly encouraged to come check out the fun. I didn’t attend then but I heard from classmates who volunteered that it was extremely fun to see the kids so excited to paint on walls and do other fun art projects! Then Bookless opened again at 7pm with a bar for us adults. Lots of people were still drawing on the walls. There was a section devoted to stamps and old stickers (I put one of my face, Rainbow Brite style). There was a fantastic photo booth. Downstairs in the basement, music boomed and a trippy video played to it. Ghostlike, creepy figures hung from the walls. Art installations hugged the walls and were placed between the frames of the old stacks. The lockers of the “Lower Staxx!” workers were on display.  The pneumatic tubes were used by the Oracle. Upstairs, the old fiction room was used as a stage for various bands through the night. And, of course, more art was on display!

Everyone I saw seemed to be having fun. Unfortunately for me, it was a little too hot and smokey, so I went home feeling a little faint and overheated. Water and sleep helped me immensely. Other than that, and sometimes too-low lighting, there is nothing bad I can say about the Bookless event. Huge, huge kudos to the Madison Public Library!