Tools & Resources

  • Online Resources Useful information about sound related resources around the world, including published articles, notable sound archives and major sound-related publications.
  • Audio Storage at the Library of Congress’s Packard Campus The collection storage facilities of the Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center (NAVCC), headquartered at the Library's Packard Campus near Culpeper, Virginia, are located in a former underground bunker that had once served as a cold-war era continuity of operations (COOP) site for the US Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Located 75 miles southwest of Washington, DC, the Packard Campus was constructed on…
  • Major Audio Collections at the Library of Congress The Library of Congress holds the nation's largest public collection of sound recordings (music and spoken word) and radio broadcasts, some 3.5 million recordings in all. Recordings represent over 110 years of sound recording history in nearly every sound recording format and cover a wide range of subjects and genres in considerable depth and breadth.
  • Video Tutorials Specially-produced how-to videos and videos and talks and panel discussions related to all areas of sound preservation.
  • Preservation & Assessment Tools A collection of online tools preservation and appraisal tools have been developed by university research institutions. Many are available for free online.
  • Education & Training Contains a list of both university-level and continuing ed programs for audio preservation.
  • Vintage Audio Formats and Equipment Information Additional resources for audio cataloging and preservation.
  • Historical Background These resources provide historical background for the business and technology behind recorded sound.
  • Solve These Mystery Photos Can you ID these super-hard music-related stills that the Library found in a collection? We sure need your help!
  • Specialty Interviews and Articles Transcripts of original interviews, conducted by the Library of Congress, with authors, experts, historians and others an all aspects of audio preservation, theory and history.
  • Major US Record Labels Addresses of the United States' major recording companies.
  • Creating a Perfect At-Home Listening Space Want to build a room just for listening? See some tips from the Library.