Dear Peggy,

Wow, what a coup!  Terrific!  Congratulations!  To my mind the NCTA
collection is far more important, far more representative of American
folklife, far more comprehensive, and far more *responsible* than (let's
say) the grand work of Lomax pere et fils.  Unique _is_ the best word for
it.  I am very happy to hear this news and trust the logistics and
finances can be worked out.  Joe Wilson was skittish for a long time about
placing this collection at the Library.  You must have exercised great
diplomacy in effecting this turnaround.

The staffing news is wonderful as well.  Way to go, Peggy and Winston!

See you soon,

Judy

Judith McCulloh
Assistant Director and Executive Editor
University of Illinois Press
1325 South Oak Street
Champaign, IL  61820-6975
(217) 244-4681
[log in to unmask]


On Thu, 10 Feb 2000, Peggy Bulger wrote:

> Winston, I will talk to Mal about a conference call and let you know.
>
> In the meantime, two quick updates:
>
> 1.  I had a great meeting yesterday with Joe Wilson at NCTA and he is
> ready to give AFC his entire collection!!!  This includes all of the
> recordings of the National Folk Festival (1936 to the present), the
> recordings of the National Folk Heritage Award ceremonies (1980 to the
> present), all of his "Folk Masters" tours recordings, recordings of
> the Lowell Folklife Festival and the Blue Ridge Parkway festivals.  In
> addition, there are excellent slides, photos, videotapes and
> manuscript materials for all.  This truly is a unique and invaluable
> collection, documenting the best of traditional music over the past
> fifty years.  Some of the National Folk Festival recordings document
> folk music legends who were virtually unknown when they were alive,
> and these are the ONLY recordings of them (Moses Williams, Peg Leg
> Sam, etc.)
>
> Joe is willing to GIVE us the collection, but he wants to have us pay
> for copies to be made for NCTA right as they are acquired, so that
> they have unbroken access to the recordings (they are developing radio
> shows and CDs from them).  I will work with David (he's on jury duty
> for two weeks) to get a cost estimate, but this has just made my day!!
>  I don't need to tell you that this is an incredible coup (he was
> really leaning toward the folklife archive at UNC at Chapel Hill and
> they were going to PAY for the collection).  After our chat, he was
> convinced that we would take better care of it, some of the collection
> would be excellent for the NDL project, and a national collection like
> this needs to be in the LC, where we have THE folk archive (as Mickey
> would say, the Oz of Archives).  JUST A HEADS-UP:  The collection
> fills an entire room (oh boy).
>
> 2.  Your news about staffing is fantastic!!  You and Diane have been
> wonderful to work with me and pull rabbits out of the hat. . . I would
> love to announce this at the board meeting on Friday, for the
> Associate Librarian's Report.  Would Diane be giving that report for
> you, and could we announce this good news?  I know that the board will
> be as thrilled as I am that we are receiving this much needed help
> from LS.
>
> Thanks Winston!
>
> peggy
>
> Peggy A. Bulger, Director
> American Folklife Center
> Library of Congress
> 101 Independence Ave, SE
> Washington, DC 20540-4610
> (202) 707-1745
> FAX (202) 707-2076
> [log in to unmask]
> http://lcweb.loc.gov/folklife/
>
> >>> Winston Tabb <[log in to unmask]> 02/09 3:23 PM >>>
> Im so sorry--would love to be able to do this,  but I have to fly to
> LA Wed evening in order to be ready for our 8:30 am meeting on
> Thursday.  If a quick conference call early next week would help, I
> d
> be glad to try to work that in.
>
> I assume Diane may have reported to you that we are including a
> folklife  specialist position in  our FY00 succession  plan job
> list.
>  This would free you to go ahead and post one of these professional
> positions--and if the LaPorte thing can be brought to closure, you
> could fill two positions off the one posting.  These two new hires,
> in
> addition,  to the Cataloging detailee and junior fellow should offer
> some much -needed help for this year, while  we look toward
> something
> more in FY01 and then the big-bang for 02.   Have you had any
> discussion with Peter as to when he assumes he would return
> full-time
> to AFC?   My working assumption is that that would occur in early
> summer, but we have never formally discussed this.  Once the big
> ingathering of local legacies occurs, and we get past the May 23
> celebration, the collections become AFC's--along with "ownership"
> of
> whatever on-going similar program may emerge from the strategic
> planning