Archivists at Arkansas Tech University’s Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center have published an online collection of more than 2,000 audio files representing more than 50 years of live musical performances and studio recordings by students and faculty in the ATU Department of Music.
The audio files were digitized, restored, mastered and edited by the Dr. Lowell Lybarger, ATU media production labs director, and student staff.
Lybarger expressed appreciation to Charity Park, university archivist and special collections librarian, and the ATU media production labs staff — David Hall, Brick Wasson, Jimmy Rhine, Caleb Markle, Dason Lee, Bennett Ashlock, Brad Wills, Tyler Wainscott, Elesha White, Hayden Holt, Sydni Baker, Griffin Williams, Archie Stovall, Corey Griffin, Finn Tisdale and Olivia Wills — for their role in bringing the project to fruition.
“Academic archives and special collections benefit institutions by providing access to historical information for research and educational purposes, and they also drive interest in the university,” said Park. “Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center is making a concerted effort to preserve and promote the history of Arkansas Tech University by creating both physical and online archival and special collections.”
The collection is available for streaming at https://orc.library.atu.edu/atu_lp/.
In addition, the ATU archivists digitized and published a video from a 1970 Arkansas Tech band camp that features Gene Witherspoon, who served as director of bands at Arkansas Tech from 1950-79, as well as many students, faculty and camp instructors.
The 1970 band camp video is available at https://orc.library.atu.edu/atu_videos/1/.
“The scope and quality of the ATU Department of Music sound recordings collection is exceptional,” said Eric Rector, director of Ross Pendergraft Library. “Dr. Lybarger and his team have created a truly unique audio archive that both the public and members of the ATU community can study and enjoy.”
Learn more about Pendergraft Library and Technology Center at https://library.atu.edu.
