Library of Congress: Recorded Sound Research Center
Address: 101 Independence Avenue SE, James Madison Building, Room113, Washington, DC 20540-4698
Telephone number: 202-707-7833
Open to the public: Yes
Interlibrary loan: No
Reference policy: Reference requests are accepted by: Ask-a-Librarian form, chat, telephone, email, in person
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Background note:
The Library of Congress' Recording Laboratory was established in 1940 by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation. The Library's collections of audio recordings in all formats (tape, LP, CD, and others) are now the largest in the United States and among the most comprehensive in the world. The collection now stands at over 3.5 million recordings, with more items added every year.
The Recorded Sound Research Center is part of the Library's National Audio-Visual Conservation Center. The Center has a large collection of discographies, periodicals, and general reference works as well as card catalogs, microfilm indexes, online catalogs, and other resources for accessing the collections.
Videos and sound recordings
Materials about religion may be found throughout the Library's massive recorded sound collections. A complete inventory of these materials is not possible; a sample of the collection is provided below. All materials must be retrieved from the closed stacks. The collection is particularly strong in commercially produced recordings submitted for copyright, archival collections related to American history, and materials acquired through Library of Congress field offices in Asia and Africa.
Sound recordings are partially listed in the Merged Audio Visual Information System (MAVIS), the Library’s online catalog, Sound Online Inventory Catalog (SONIC), and in card catalogs in the Recorded Sound Research Center. There are also many special inventories and indexes on microfiche and computer. Many materials in the collections are uncataloged; consult with reference staff to locate needed materials.
African Americans--Religion; Bible; Buddhism; Chants; Christian rock music; Christian Science; Church music; Church of Latter-day Saints of Jesus Christ; Church of Scientology; Church services; Coughlin, Charles E., Father, 1891-1979; Cox, Harvey, 1929- ; Dalai Lama XIV (Bstan-'dzin-rgya-mtsho), 1935- ; Gospel music; Graham, Billy, 1918- ; Greeley, Andrew, 1928- ; Gregorian chant; Hinduism; Hubbard, L. Ron, 1911-1986; Hymns and hymnals; Islam; John XXIII, Pope (Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli), 1881-1963; John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla), Pope, 1920- ; Judaism; McPherson, Aimee Semple, 1890-1944; Marshall, Peter, 1902-1949; Peale, Norman Vincent, 1898-1993; Prophet, Elizabeth Clare, 1940- ; Radio in religion; Ritual; Sacred music--Buddhism; Sacred music--Christianity; Sacred music--Hinduism; Sacred music--Islam; Sermons; Shamanism; Spirituals; Teresa, Mother, 1910-1997