Sound FX and Other eBooks Available, But Not in the Catalog

Looking for Sound FX: Unlocking the Creative Potential of Recording Studio Effects by Alexander U. Case? If you check our catalog, you may assume that we only have it in our Valencia library. While we do have it in print in Valencia, we also have it as an eBook, but for now you won't find it in our catalog. Although most of our eBooks (and we have about 8,000) are listed in our regular catalog, we have about a thousand eBooks that you can only find by searching our eBook collection specifically.





Until we get those books added to the catalog, you can find and access them by:
Click E-Resources in the left column of the library homepage.
Click Search Articles & More
Click Search by database
Click eBooks on EBSCOhost (the name, not the check box next to it)

You can then search for, access and download our complete eBook collection.

And here's a direct link to Sound FX, which several students have been looking for. 

The Composer Who Tested Fighter Planes And Partied With Sinatra

Jimmy Van Heusen may not have the name recognition of Cole Porter or George Gershwin, but his grandnephew claims that the composer would probably place in the Top 20 on ASCAP's roster. Van Heusen wrote many of Frank Sinatra's hits, including "Come Fly with Me" and "My Kind of Town," and the two were so close that Van Heusen is buried in the Sinatra family plot. To mark the 100th anniversary of Van Heusen's birth, NPR has a story on his remarkable life.

The Composer Who Tested Fighter Planes And Partied With Sinatra

Be sure to check our collection of materials by Van Heusen to appreciate his legacy.

Archives Update

Since our official start in October, things have been humming right along here at the Archives. This week, Berklee’s faculty got a sneak peek at some of our treasures, as well as coming attractions as part of Berklee Teachers On Teaching. For the rest of you, here’s a little taste of what we shared and what’s in store.

The main task of these last few months has been getting organized, both physically and administratively. We’ve been putting a lot of thought into the everyday operations of the Archives, drafting a mission statement as well as policies to guide future collecting and use of archival materials. More concretely, we’ve also been wading through boxes of donated materials, conducting inventory and creating finding aids that will be searchable online.

Speaking of online, we’re also hard at work planning a new website for the Archives. Our current page has a small sampling of digitized collections: historical photos from the Office of Public Information and Alma Berk; founder Lawrence Berk’s notes from his studies under Joseph Schillinger; interactive scans of Jazz in the Classroom scores and performances; and a small fraction of the interviews recorded as part of the ongoing Berklee Oral History Project.

Of course, not everything has been (or can be) digitized, so in addition to expanding this virtual display, the new Archives page will include finding aids for processed collections available on site in the Archives room here at the Stan Getz Library as well as general information about the Archives. Archival materials are non-circulating but are available Monday - Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. by appointment, with evening hours available upon request.

Interested in scheduling a visit or learning more? Email archives@berklee.edu or call 617-747-8001. We’re still very much a work-in-progress, but in the meantime we’re happy to work with faculty, students, and alumni interested in conducting research, donating materials, or incorporating archival materials in the classroom. Stay tuned for more updates from the Archives!

Happy Birthday, Keith Richards

Keith Richards turns 69 on December 18 (although he doesn't look a day over 100). While we're closing down library circulation for the end of the semester, library users still have full access to our periodicals and databases, both online and in person. Need your Richards fix? We have the full run of Rolling Stone as printable PDFs on the research computer at the reference desk. His most recent cover was October 28, 2010.

Ask to Keep Books and Scores Over Break

All library materials must be returned by Monday, Dec. 17. However, the staff can arrange for you to check books and scores out over break. Why not make use of our holiday score collection to add music to your Christmas gathering? Browse the stacks at MP1629.3 for holiday music. If you need a suggestion, the latest edition to our holiday collection is The Hilarious Holiday Songbook (MP1629.3.C5 H55 2011). It includes classics such as "Heat Miser" from The Year Without a Santa Claus and the Waitresses' New Wave hit "Christmas Wrapping" as well as the lesser-known "The Fruitcake That ate New Jersey." However, if you're looking for "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," you'll need Wonderful Christmastime (MP1629.3.C5 W66).

We also have plenty of more reverent options.

Ask at the circulation desk to make arrangements to keep these or other books or scores over break.

RIP Ravi Shankar

George Harrison called Ravi Shankar "the godfather of world music." The sitar virtuoso who introduced Indian classical music to a Western audience died on Tuesday, December 11. The New York Times has an obituary:

Ravi Shankar, Sitarist Who Introduced Indian Music to the West, Dies at 92

Shankar was scheduled to speak at the 2011 Berklee Teachers on Teaching, but health problems prevented his attendance.

Among the highlights of our materials by and about Shankar:

• Ravi Shankar in Portrait (DVD 2436-2437)
• The Complete Monterey Pop Festival (DVD 707-709)
• The Concert for Bangladesh by George Harrison and friends (DVD 1873-1874)
• Raga Mala: The Autobiography of Ravi Shankar (ML419.S498 A3 1999)
• Learning Indian Music: A Systematic Approach by Ravi Shankar (LHAN-346 Kachulis 5, CD 29236-29237)
• Full Circle: Carnegie Hall, 2000 by Ravi Shankar (CD 19932)
• Streaming audio via Naxos Music Library (access via our web site for Berklee authentication)

Let's Take Five to Remember Dave Brubeck

Dave Brubeck died Wednesday, December 5, a day shy of his 92nd birthday. Chicago Tribune arts critic Howard Reich remarks about the jazz pianist, "Throughout his career, Brubeck defied conventions long imposed on jazz musicians. The tricky meters he played in 'Take Five' and other works transcended standard conceptions of swing rhythm." Read the full obituary:

Jazz pianist Dave Brubeck dead at age 91

Among the highlights of our materials by and about Brubeck:

• Dave Brubeck Anthology (MP22.B78 D32)
• Time Out (CD 3192)
• It's About Time: The Dave Brubeck Story by Fred M. Hall (ML410.B799 H3 1996)