Overview

Archives contain more than recordings. Fieldnotes, correspondence, grant proposals, and recording logs are primary sources too — and they often reveal things about the collection that the recordings themselves cannot. This session focuses on reading those documents closely.

Topics

What does a collector's proposal tell us about their intentions and assumptions before any recording was made? What does a letter between institutions reveal about who had authority over the project? What can fieldnotes tell us about what a collector noticed — and what they didn't? How do you read a document the same way you would listen to a recording: with attention to detail, context, and what's left unsaid?

In-Class Exercise

Read the provided document closely. Write a short response:

• Who wrote this, and who is it written for?
• What does the author want — and what does that tell you about the collection?
• What does this document reveal that the recordings from this archive don't?