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Phil Schaap Jazz Collection

Overview

The Phil Schaap Collection consists of an array of physical and electronic resources. This is a very large collection that is still undergoing processing, and materials will be made available over time.

Physical resources are stored within Vanderbilt Special Collections & University Archives. Items such as papers, drafts, ephemera, archival reels, realia, etc., will be browseable and requestable through the collection's finding aid in ArchivesSpace once they are processed. Physical items that have been published (e.g., 78rpm discs, LPs, 45rpm discs, books, etc.) are generally requestable through Primo, the Vanderbilt Libraries' online catalog.

Electronic media (born-digital, or digitized copies of analog materials) are made available through the Aviary media platform.

More in-depth information is contained in the sections below.

Accessing Aviary

  • The "Collection" tab lays out all available audio and video collections. That is the option selected in the screenshot below.
  • The "Resources" tab filters out search content.
  • Pictured below is the landing page for Aviary.

 

Accessing the Schaap Collection on Aviary

  • Broadcasts and Interviews listed together in alphabetical order based on title.
  • Click the search bar and type an artist or subject of interest to find shows with that name in the title and or description of the show. As in a typical library catalog, initial searches are typically conducted via keyword. They can be refined later.
  • Pictured below is the landing page for the Schaap Collection on Aviary.
  • Access Phil Schaap Collection landing page here

Refining Searches

  • When searching, results will appear in alphabetical order of the title of show, whether a search appears in the title or the description.
  • Results can be refined through a series of facets on the left-hand side of the screen.
  • For more in-depth information or for resources whose metadata may be incomplete, Wilson Music Library staff can be contacted to see if any further information is available.
  • Access the search page here

Considerations When Perusing the Digital Collection

  • The physical collection is comprised of thousands of reel-to-reel audio tape broadcasts and interviews.
  • Until the collection is fully processed, Aviary may not contain the entirety of extant holdings. For specific inquiries on recordings not currently in Aviary, or to report errors in metadata or link functionality, please contact Wilson Music Library staff.

               

Navigating the Music Library Page (Published resources)

  • Peruse or search the Phil Schaap Collection page to find physical printed or media resources to access on site in the Anne Potter Wilson Music Library. Searching in this system is typically started via keyword, but results lists can be refined through a series of facets presented on the left-hand side of the screen. The "Phil Schaap Jazz Collection" as a whole is linked from all of the items classed within it and represents the entirety of what parts of the collection have been processed at any point in time.
  • Note that in the interest of time, provisional (temporary) records have been created for each item to expedite user access. These records will be overlaid with fully cataloged and indexed records at some future date.

  • Students and outside researchers alike may request physical items from the collection for on-site use. The Anne Potter Wilson Music Library maintains audio playback equipment for this purpose. Sound recordings may also be digitized and sent to researchers who are not able to physically visit the collection. Please send requests to audio lab manager michael.jones@vanderbilt.edu. Some limits may apply to the number of requests.
  • One must register with the Special Collections system in order to request any items. Go to www.library.vanderbilt.edu/specialcollections/visitus/
  • Please allow at least 48 hours for any requested item to be located and carefully transported to the Anne Potter Wilson Music Library.

The Phil Schaap Collection includes papers, interview transcripts, correspondence, jazz research, records, photographs, ephemera, and realia. These contents are/will be listed in an official finding aid that is made available through the Libraries' ArchivesSpace platform, which is accessible through the website for Vanderbilt University Special Collections & University Archives. The Schaap Collection is listed as collection MSS.1070.

For now, questions regarding access to this part of the collection can be directed at Wilson Music Library staff. On-site visits are welcome, although requesting resources can take time, especially if they reside in an as-yet unprocessed portion of the collection. As such, we strongly suggest consulting staff before planning any kind of visit.

Here are images documenting a small bit of the arrival of the collection in May 2023: