Maureen Russell's blog

Like many librarians, I am often asked if I read books (or listen to recordings) all day long.

As probably everyone knows, UCLA Ethnomusicology was established in 1960.  But what some of you might not know is that Mantle Hood, Founder and Director of the Institute of Ethnomusicology, actively

This is one of an occasional series detailing what it is that archivists (and librarians) actually do.  Today I will be discussing what is likely to be called Reference and Instructional Services or Reference and Research Services. 

One of the many things that you learn as an archivist is that everything has a story.  There is the story of the peoples recorded, of course, but there is also the story of the researcher or the collector.  

One of the more unusual aspects of being an archivist is that people often have no idea what you do.  This, shall we say, lack of information has inspired me to write an occasional series about what it is that archives and archivists do.

I thought I would begin with something that would be of particular interest to ethnomusicologists.  Knowledge repatriation.

One of the many wonderful things about working in the Ethnomusicology Archive is the people that you have the opportunity to meet... students, scholars, researchers, musicians...

One of my fondest memories is that of iconic Australian folk singer John Williamson visiting the Archive in February 2004.  (Professor Anthony Seeger organized the visit.)  

David Gamble, who passed away in October 2011, is considered “the” scholar of the Gambia. He was employed by the Colonial Office during the late 1940s and 1950s, and his published works include extensive monographs on the Fula, Wolof and Mandinka languages of the Gambia.

Maureen with legendary Australian singer, John Williamson

Opening lines are hard.  You need to grab the reader.  You need to set the scene.  You want to be witty.  You need to be pithy.  You need to start writing.