New online exhibit: Selections from the William Warren Scranton Papers

The William Warren Scranton Papers housed at The Pennsylvania State University selectively document William Scranton’s stellar career in public service as well as in business, civic, and educational arenas. Gathered from his several offices, the papers supplement official state records at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and consist of 181.6 cubic feet of textual records and approximately 2,715 photographs, moving images, and audio tape recordings. Notable among the materials, the 2004 WVIA documentary In a Clear Light uses historic photographs from the papers to profile the life and career of William Scranton, as statesman, family man, and friend and advisor to five Presidents.

See the new online exhibit at:
http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/digital/scrantonhome.html

Fred Waring’s Songs for 2011 on iTunes U

Revive your hope and inspiration for the new year with with a video podcast on iTunes U featuring the music of Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians. This recently produced podcast, part of the Special Collection Library’s Fred Waring’s America collection, features 7 songs from 4 different Fred Waring albums.  These songs, all inspirational in theme, include performances from Fred Waring’s orchestra, glee club, and featured soloists. 

To view the video, go to http://deimos3.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/psu.edu.2125864609 or follow these steps:

1. Go to https://itunes.psu.edu/
2. Log in as a Penn State use or a guest (wait for iTunes to launch)
3. Select Penn State Podcast Shows
4. Select Fred Waring Collection

New podcasts will be added to iTunes U on or around the 15th of the month and will feature clips from the collection’s vast archive of 25,000 recordings on disc, wire, tape, kinescope and video, covering every radio and television broadcast made by Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians from 1933–1960; concert recordings; reference recordings of Fred Waring music workshop sessions and concerts and other miscellaneous performances. For more information, call 814-863-2911.

Exhibit: African-American Music in the Charles L. Blockson Collection of African-Americana and the African Diaspora

"African-American Music in the Charles L. Blockson Collection of African-Americana and the African Diaspora," an exhibit, is on display from Jan. 14 to March 13, in the main exhibit hall on the first floor of Pattee Library, and also in the Diversity Studies Room, in room 109 of Pattee Library. A collection rich in materials relating to African-American, African, Latin-American, and Caribbean history and culture, the exhibit highlights musical resources with the display of album covers, sheet music, posters, and books related to spirituals, slavery songs, emasculation songs, blues, jazz, barbershop songs, vaudeville songs and piano rags.

Full press release here.
Blockson Collection overview here.
Blockson Blog here.