Libraries

The Archives of Traditional Music provides excellent facilities for its patrons and its staff. Our listening library has hosted visiting researchers from all over the world, and the Hoagy Carmichael Room has been the site of everything from performances of local jazz, workshops on Mongolian throat-singing, and lectures on WPA-sponsored field research. Situated in Morrison Hall since 1988, the Archives of Traditional Music facilities support public activities and the work of staff who are providing access and preservation services for our holdings.

Listening Library

The Listening Library, located in Morrison Hall room 120, is open to the public. Any library patron may request information or listen to recordings for any purpose. Members of the Archives staff offer reference assistance to students, faculty, and staff of Indiana University on a walk-in basis, as well as by telephone, letter, or email. The staff also provides reference assistance to the general public for inquiries concerning Archives resources. Advance notice of desire to use manuscript materials is encouraged. The Archives staff can give tours and lectures about the Archives and its procedures to interested groups.

The Hoagy Carmichael Room

Designed as a memorial to Indiana's famous songwriter and performing artist, the Hoagy Carmichael Room, contains a representative sample of the large collection of research materials and memorabilia donated by the Carmichael family to Indiana University. The collection includes sound recordings, music manuscripts, photographs, lyric sheets, correspondence, scrapbooks, paintings, and other personal effects, and represents the largest holding of materials pertaining to Hoagy Carmichael available anywhere in the world. The Archives of Traditional Music holds over 3,500 Carmichael items with others held at the Lilly Library and the Indiana University Archives.

The room is designed like a large living room and provides an intimate space for a wide range of activities. The room is used for receptions, classes, symposia, lectures, performances, and other functions. The most frequent use of the room is for the Archives-sponsored Noon Concert and Lecture Series. The series gives audiences an opportunity to hear live music from various musical traditions, as well as lectures and presentations on a wide variety of topics.

The Hoagy Carmichael Room is open by appointment during regular Archives hours by calling (812) 855-4679 or sending an email to atmusic@indiana.edu. The room is also available for special events and receptions. Room usage is dependent on staff availability and existing room reservations. Preference is given to events that align with the ATM’s mission and that occur during regular business hours. To learn more about using the room, please read the Room Usage Policy (PDF). If still interested, please contact the ATM office at the phone number or email address above. Depending on the type of event, a room rental fee may apply.

The Vault

A temperature- and humidity-controlled storage vault totaling 2,138 square feet of floor space protects the holdings of the Archives. The vault is held at a temperature of 68˚ and 40 percent relative humidity.  Environmental controls are linked directly to sensors that notify Physical Plant engineers of malfunctions. A fire suppression system further protects the vault holdings.

In 1996 the Archives installed new compact shelving to house the collections in the main vault. The electronically-driven shelving holds all of the recordings in about half of the space previously consumed, thus allowing room for growth and processing. Each carriage of shelves was constructed to hold a specific recording media, whether cylinders, tapes, or discs. One carriage contains units of drawers in three sizes--for video, cassette, and compact disc storage. These are the most likely areas for expansion, so the most room for collection growth is available here. The shelving alleviates a space shortage and allows for uniform and proper shelving of materials for greater safety. The unit can be sealed with a rubber gasket, thus keeping light and dust out. It also has a special programming feature that allows the aisles to open periodically during the night, thereby reducing the potential for mold and mildew to take hold.