The Ralph Rinzler Archives and Collections is a part of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage constitute one of the world's largest and most important archives of audio and video recordings, photographs, paper collections, and ethnographic documentation of traditional and community cultures of the United States and the entire world.
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The archives are open by appointment. Please see our Terms of Use: http://www.si.edu/termsofuse/
Operating as usual
The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives has posted an RFQ for an archival audio digitization services contract. For the RFQ documents, please see:
https://folkways-media.si.edu/docs/folklife/jobs/RFQ_Archival_Audio_Tech.pdf
See links to additional documents at bottom of this PDF. Questions to Claudia Telliho only, please.
Update: The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives has posted an RFQ for two contracts for a small-ish mass digitization project (mixed papers). For the RFQ documents and amendment for a mass digitization vendor, and RFQ documents for a digitization technician, please see:
https://folklife.si.edu/jobs
We are currently accepting applications for advancement associate and Smithsonian Folkways associate director of operations.
The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives has posted an RFQ for two contracts for a small-ish mass digitization project (mixed papers). For the RFQ documents, please see:
https://folklife.si.edu/jobs
We are currently accepting applications for advancement associate and Smithsonian Folkways associate director of operations.
From our colleague Nichole Procopenko and her personal archival response to the fires in California.
I woke up on October 9, 2017, and lazily checked my phone. Text messages and Facebook posts all pointed to one word: fire.
I'm working on checking images and their metadata from this year's Smithsonian Folklife Festival. I've been struck by the performances of Circus Juventas who did a re-envisioned Alice in Wonderland. In order to identify as many names as I could so that I could tag more people, I watched some videos of them, including this one. It's an interesting view of their participation in the Festival from their perspective.
Stephanie Smith, Archives Director
This is "Smithsonian Folklife Festival - Circus Juventas" by Sky Focus Films on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
Dear Friends,
I’m writing to spread the word about the 2018 Rinzler Archives Summer Internship at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. The selected applicant will receive a $300 weekly stipend during the full-time, ten-week internship. The deadline to apply is February 28, 2018. The pertinent information can be found here: https://folklife.si.edu/news-and-events/apply-now-for-rinzler-archives-summer-internship
Please feel free to share this widely and let me know what additional questions or comments you have.
Best regards,
Greg C. Adams
Assistant Archivist, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Smithsonian Institution
600 Maryland Ave. S.W., Suite 2001
Washington, DC 20024
The deadline to apply is February 28, 2018.
Dear Friends,
We are inviting applications for a paid summer internship (one internship per year) in the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections at the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. This is a competitive paid internship that will offer the successful applicant an opportunity to work in collaboration with archives staff to apply collections management best practices in arranging, describing, and digitizing collections. The collections, which consist of papers, photographs, and audiovisual media, include curatorial, ethnographic, and programmatic content associated with the Center’s Smithsonian Folklife Festival and its non-profit record label Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
This internship is made possible through the generous support of the Scott and Dorothy Odell Internship Fund. The stipend is $300 per week for a 10-week, full-time internship. The deadline for applications is March 31, 2017. To apply, 1) visit the Smithsonian Online Academic Appointment System (SOLAA), located at: https://solaa.si.edu, 2) create an account (or login if you are a returning user), 3) select “internship” and look for Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, and 4) click on the link for “Rinzler Folklife Archives Summer Internship.”
If you are interested in other internship opportunities at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, please visit our website (http://www.folklife.si.edu/internships/smithsonian).
If you have questions about applying for the internship, please contact the Center’s intern coordinator, Arlene Reiniger ([email protected]). If you have questions about the work associated with the internship, please contact Greg Adams ([email protected]).
Thank you,
Greg
--
Greg C. Adams
Assistant Archivist, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Smithsonian Institution
600 Maryland Ave. S.W., Suite 2001
Washington, DC 20560-0520
(202) 633-6512 voice
(202) 633-7019 fax
[email protected]
Digitization of the LP covers in the Alma Mater Recording Co. audio recordings is almost complete! This collection contains audio recordings made by Alma Mater Recording Company, featuring camp, folk, pop and broadway songs recorded between 1959-1986 at various summer camps and schools in New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Ohio, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and North Carolina. It provides a nostalgic, #TBT - appropriate glimpse into the summer camp culture of the time, and happens to include some pretty CAMP-y record covers. These covers will soon be available in their entirety as a digital collection through the collection's SOVA finding aid, located here: http://sova.si.edu/record/CFCH.ALMA . Is your camp on the list?
Thanks to our friends Smithsonian Digitization, we got to try out a rapid capture motion picture digitization system designed by Fastforward, a motion picture digitization company based in Denmark. This system, which uses a blend of old and new technology (note the vintage Steenbeck), is able to capture 16 mm film at up to 150 frames/second, a significant improvement over digitizing in real time (24 frames/second). In this video, we are rapidly digitizing a film from the French stage at the 1976 Smithsonian Festival of American Folklife.
“People get more of a message from you than they do from an entertainer, and they believe in you. Now, you can say amen and forgive the sermon.” --Ralph Rinzler to Doc Watson, November 25, 1964.
Archives Technician Rori Smith recently found a list sent to Ralph Rinzler from Doc Watson of all the Folkways albums Watson owned in 1963 and wrote a beautiful post about it. Rinzler archivists also put together your new favorite playlist to go along with it. Do you have a favorite track from Doc's collection?
Search millions of objects in the collections including photographs, artworks, artifacts, scientific specimens, manuscripts, sound records, and transcripts. These represent Art, Design, History, Culture, Science and Technology.
Scott Odell, who donated his archival collection to the Rinzler Archives, is in the office today to deposit another round of fabulous materials. We've encountered many gems while going through his files with him, but the geeky Rinzler archivists were especially excited to find this May 1984 photograph of Scott in his conservation lab at the National Museum of American History with his loyal colleague, R2D2. #archivesfinds
Looking to develop your professional archival skills this summer? Come work with us! The Rinzler Archives now offers a paid summer internship! This competitive internship gives the opportunity to work in collaboration with archives staff to apply collections management best practices in arranging, describing, and digitizing collections. The collections, which consist of papers, photographs, and audiovisual media, include curatorial, ethnographic, and programmatic content associated with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, and more. Students and recent grads in library science, archival studies, and museum studies are encouraged to apply.
This internship is made possible through the generous support of the Scott and Dorothy Odell Internship Fund. The stipend is $300 per week for a ten-week, full-time internship. The deadline for applications is March 31, 2016.
For more information on how to apply, check out the link below.
The Cook Labs records have gone digital! Emory Cook was the audiophile, inventor, field recorder, and all-around charmingly odd owner of the Cook Labs record label. Cook operated record pressing plants in both Connecticut and Trinidad, and had a particular affinity for calypso music, much of which he recorded himself. The collection is full of gems, but the candid snapshots of his recording trips in Trinidad are especially interesting, as they document the daily musical life of the island. The sheer volume of shots contained in the collection make them a great resource for those interested in the musical climate of Trinidad in the 1950s. There's lots to rummage through in this collection--dig in and let us know what you find!
Did you catch the Rinzler Archives on Al Jazeera English this week? This past Tuesday, reporter Tom Ackerman visited Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and the Archives to talk about preserving recordings of traditional music from around the world, inspired by Smithsonian Folkways' recent Grammy nominations. The spot included a behind-the-scenes look at our audio preservation activities in the Archives, and a walk through our stacks. We look good on TV!
Happy Mardis Gras! To celebrate, Rinzler Archives Audio Specialist Dave Walker digitized a recording of the Young Tuxedo Brass Band performing "When the Saints Go Marching In" as part of the Louisiana program at the 1985 Festival of American Folklife. It was suffering from sticky-shed syndrome (when the binders on the magnetic tape break down due to moisture absorption, making the tape "sticky"), so Dave baked it (yes, in an oven!) to ensure our ability to safely obtain a preservation-quality transfer that will be listenable for far longer than the tape itself. This way, we can laissez les bons temps rouler (let the good times roll)!
The Young Tuxedo Brass Band performing "When the Saints Go Marching In" at the 1985 Festival of American Folklife.
Just a #TypicalFriday in the Rinzler Archives, digitizing photographs from the 1967 Philadelphia Folk Festival taken by iconic photographer Diana Davies. Make some memories this weekend, friends!
It's the most wonderful time of the year...#ArchivesShelfie day! Archives staff took a shelfie in one of their favorite rows in the stacks--right next to our collection of 78s.
The Rinzler Archives staff get very excited when new supplies come in!
It's been a while since we've posted, so to get us back into the groove, we are sharing a couple of images of yesterday's Rinzler Archives researchers--Philadelphia Folk Festival founder Gene Shay, photographer Jayne Toohey, and their colleague Eric Ring.
Our excellent Archive intern pulled and photographed some of his favorite AV media formats from our many collections. Do you recognize any of these relics?
Well, we're sad to say that this year's Smithsonian Folklife Festival ends today, and so does our look back at Festivals of years past. If you're in the DC area and still haven't made it down to the National Mall, now's your chance (http://www.festival.si.edu/)! In today's Festival photo from the archives, a Japanese dragon dance is performed as a part of the 1976 Festival of American Folklife program Old Ways in the New World. Do you have a favorite Festival memory? Share it with us in the comments! #2015Folklife
Happy Independence Day, friends! The fourth of July always falls around the second week of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, so there are many striking images in the archives of spectacular fireworks lighting up the Festival grounds. In this photograph from the 1998 Smithsonian Folklife Festival by Jeff Tinsley, the chapel constructed as a part of the Pahiyas: A Philippine Harvest program is captured at a particularly flattering moment. Are you in the DC area? We think you should head on down to the Festival, experience the sights and sounds of Peru, grab some delicious Peruvian food, and stake out a nice spot by the Washington Monument for the show. What a good day you're going to have! More info here: http://www.festival.si.edu/. #2015Folklife
If we told you thought the Smithsonian Folklife Festival had featured rap artists waaaay back in 1984, would you believe it? In a particularly timely move, the Festival of American Folklife put on a program called "Black Urban Expressive Culture from Philadelphia." In today's Festival photograph, rapper Brenda Gilmore performs as a part of this program, with extremely rad bracelets. Are you in the DC area? Don't miss this year's Festival, going down on the National Mall until this Sunday. For more information, check out http://www.festival.si.edu . #2015Folklife
Check out that dinosaur! The Smithsonian Folklife Festival incorporates occupational folklore in many of its programs. In this photograph by Jeff Tinsley from the 1996 Festival of American Folklife, Smithsonian Libraries appears to be demonstrating the riveting art of cataloging. This year's Festival goes 'till this Sunday, don't miss it! http://www.festival.si.edu/ for more info. #2015Folklife
The language of food crosses borders and cultures--so naturally, foodways has been a part of the Festival since the beginning.Today's photograph from the Festival archives was taken by Reed & Susan Erskine, who captured a cooking demonstration held as a part of the African Diaspora program at the 1974 Festival of American Folklife. The Smithsonian Folklife Festival resumes tomorrow and goes 'till July 5th. If you're in the DC area, check out some foodways demonstrations in the El Fogón tent! Can't make it? Explore the Festival foodways page: http://www.festival.si.edu/2015/peru/foodways/smithsonian.
The Smithsonian Folklife Festival resumes this Wednesday for it's final weekend. Don't miss it! In today's photograph from the Festival archives, participants and Festival attendees share the dance floor in last year's Kenya program. Photo by Walter Larrimore.
Weaving and textile production is an ancient craft practiced by cultures and communities all over the world, and these traditional arts have been well-represented in the history of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. In this photograph from the Festival archives, a man demonstrates his craft, representing India in the Old Ways in the New World program at the 1976 Festival of American Folklife. If fiber arts are your thing and you're in the DC area, be sure to check out the wonderful weaving demonstrations at this year's Peru program (http://www.festival.si.edu/). #2015Folklife
Evening concerts have been a popular event at the Festival throughout its history. In this photograph from the Festival archives, a crowd enjoys a musical evening in front of the National Museum of Natural History at the 1971 festival of American Folklife. Have you been to an evening concert at the Festival? Share your memory in the comments! And of course, be sure to check out this year's Festival on the National Mall (http://www.festival.si.edu/). #2015Folklife
This sheep is us at the end of the work week. The Smithsonian Folklife Festival continues on the National Mall this weekend (http://www.festival.si.edu/), and so does our look back at Festival photographs from the Archives. In this photograph, Jack Mathews demonstrates sheep shearing at the 1969 Festival of American Folklife. What's your favorite Festival memory? Share it in the comments! #2015Folklife
Smithsonian paper conservator Nora Lockshin giving advice about rehousing drawings from the RRFAC's Lily Spandorf collection. It's great to have great colleagues with great advice! Thank you Nora!
We're looking back at 49 years of Smithsonian Folklife Festival photographs from the Archives to celebrate this year's Peru program (on the National Mall, today-June 28 and July 1-5; for more info http://www.festival.si.edu/). In this photograph from the 1987 Festival of American Folklife, girls from Ross Elementary School demonstrate Salvadoran games for the Metropolitan Washington program. Do you have a favorite Festival story? Share it in the comments! #2015Folklife
600 Maryland Ave SW
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Thanks to our friends Smithsonian Digitization, we got to try out a rapid capture motion picture digitization system designed by Fastforward, a motion picture digitization company based in Denmark. This system, which uses a blend of old and new technology (note the vintage Steenbeck), is able to capture 16 mm film at up to 150 frames/second, a significant improvement over digitizing in real time (24 frames/second). In this video, we are rapidly digitizing a film from the French stage at the 1976 Smithsonian Festival of American Folklife.
It's only Tuesday, and the Rinzler Archives has already won the award for "most fun #SIxRCPP week ever." Thank you Greg and Alex for the beautiful music! #IfIHadAScanner
Another banjo in the stacks moment brought to you by archivist Greg Adams and instrument conservator and field collector Scott Odell. Visiting to bring additional materials for his collection housed in the RRFAC, he took some time to play "Old Jimmy Sutton" in the Rinzler field recordings corner on a fretless reproduction 1850s-style banjo with Greg on rhythm bones. Happy Friday, friends!
Processing archivist Greg Adams and intern Austin Plann Curley share a tune (can you name it?) in the stacks on Austin's last day in the Rinzler Archives. Thanks for all your hard work, Austin!
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