In 2012, I interviewed the director of the Institute of Jazz Studies. Here is a brief presentation about IJS' history and mission.

1. Institute of Jazz Studies
Rutgers University
Newark, NJ
Archive Case Study
Presented by William R. Vanden Dries

2. “The world's foremost jazz archive
and research facility.”1
• Founded - 1952 in NYC by
Marshall Stearns
• A place where people interested in
jazz could carry out research
• Moved to Rutgers Univ. in 1966
• Affiliated with Dana Cotton Library
in 1984
• Moved into new facility in 1994
when library expanded
• Integral part in Rutgers Jazz
Studies and instruction programs
Sheldon Harris and Marshall Stearns at
IJS, late 1950's
Vincent Pelote during 1994 IJS move
Current IJS Facility
1. "Institute of Jazz Studies - Mission." Institute of Jazz Studies - Mission. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2012.
<http://newarkwww.rutgers.edu/IJS/jazz1aa_about.html>.

3. Collections
• Over 300 collections
• Personal papers
• Record companies archives
• Archives of jazz-related institutions
and organizations (1920-present)
• Sound recordings (commercial and
noncommercial)
• Cassettes, open reel tapes, lacquer
discs, 16-inch, 12-inch, and 10-inch
transcription discs, LPs, 78s and 45s
Collections Specialist John
Clement in IJS stacks, 1989

4. Digitization Projects (in-house)
• Oral History Collection
• Partially completed in-house
before 24-bit/96 kHz was widely
accepted
• Reel-to-reel tapes and cassettes
• Playback machine(?) --> Owl pre-amp
--> Alesis Masterlink Hard
Disc Recorder
• Recordable CDs (16-bit/44.1 kHz)

5. Digitization Projects (outsourced)
• Completion of oral history collection
• Benny Goodman collection of unique recordings
• Benny Carter collection of unique recordings
• 10" and 12" lacquer discs, reel-to-reel tapes,
cassettes
Duke Markos Audio • Tascam 122 mkII for cassette playback
• Otari MX-5050-B-Mk2 / Technics RS-
1520 for reels playback
• Metric Halo ULN-2 2d i/o converter
• Sonic Studio Soundblade DAW
• 24-bit/96 kHz files, plus CD service copies
at 16-bit/44.1 kHz
Seth B Winner Sound Studios • Tascam 122 mkIII for cassette playback
• Otari MX-5050 B3 for reels playback
• Technics SP 15 turntable for lacquer discs
w/ multiple styli
• Marantz Audio Consolette pre-amp
• Lucid a/d converter
• SADiE DAW
• 24-bit/96 kHz files, gold CDs at 16-
bit/44.1 kHz for archive copies, silver CDs
at 16-bit/44.1 kHz for service copies

6. Preservation Challenges
• Cassettes recorded with Dolby?
• Warped cassette cases, dessicated lubrication pads,
disintegrated pressure pads, broken leader tape
• Mixture of acetate and mylar-backed tape on reels,
sometimes spliced together
• Tape hydrolysis
• Hub replacement
• Splices repaired
• Stored in a poor environment for a long time (heavy
nicotine smell)
• Appropriate styli for discs
• Cleaned with a Keith Monks cleaning machine

7. Access / Future Projects
• Used by students and researchers, but
open to public as well
• Currently only available at IJS facility
• Plans exist to increase online
accessibility
• Will need to apply for more grant
funding for future projects
• Will decide if it is more beneficial to
upgrade IJS equipment or contract
outside again

8. Resources
• http://newarkwww.rutgers.edu/IJS/index1.html
• https://plus.google.com/106981778776222178390/about?gl=us&hl=en
• http://dm-audio.com/Duke_Markos_Audio/contact.html
• http://www.stereophile.com/hirezplayers/605