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Category: American Braille

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Alternatives to Braille: 19th-Century Experiments in Tactile Music Notation in the United States

Posted by: Lindsay Conway

Did you know that systems of tactile music notation were created in the United States in the 19th century, long before braille music became the standard? Today, we will learn about two of these systems, both of which were developed at the New York Institute for the Blind.

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Song Stories: Woody Guthrie’s “Dust Bowl Ballads”

Posted by: Brian McCurdy

Born on July 14, 1912, Woody Guthrie earned the nickname "The Dust Bowl Troubadour" with the 1940 release of "Dust Bowl Ballads." In this week's NLS Music Notes blog post, learn more about the most successful album of Guthrie's career and how it influenced a new generation of artists.

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It’s National Library Week!

Posted by: Brian McCurdy

This week we are celebrating National Library Week! This year's Honorary Chair, Molly Shannon, honors the work of her favorite librarian--her mother. Read on to learn more about the history and importance of National Library Week.

Memorial bust portrait drawing of Etta Jossely Giffin. She has a determined look; her hair is short and wavy with some curls falling on her forehead. She is wearing a dark choker necklace.

Etta Josselyn Giffin: A Role Model of Women’s Enduring Leadership

Posted by: Juliette Appold

During Women's History Month, we celebrate Etta Josselyn Giffin (1863-1932). Giffin was the first director of what has become the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. Learn more about some of her achievements in this blog.

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American Music from A to Z in the NLS Music Collection: E—Eastman School of Music

Posted by: Brian McCurdy

In our alphabetical journey through the NLS Music Collection, we have arrived this month at the letter E. 2021 is the centennial of the founding of one of the world's leading music schools, the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Composers, educators, performers, and other music pioneers from this prestigious institution are represented far and wide throughout our holdings.

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New BARD Additions: October 2020

Posted by: Brian McCurdy

The NLS Music Section is proud to announce our newest additions to BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) for the month of October!

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Braille Music Transcends Prison Walls, Part 2

Posted by: Donna Koh

Continued from last week Part 2 DK: What motivates your incarcerated students to enroll in the braille music certification program, especially after toiling for months or years to achieve literary braille certification? KG: The opportunity to work in a prison braille program is a high honor which the prisons award to inmates who demonstrate ability, …

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New BARD Additions: March 2018

Posted by: Juliette Appold

Here are the latest music material additions to BARD. If you have any questions on how to use BARD or to obtain a BARD account, please get in touch with the Music Section or your local Regional Library.   Digital Talking Books The hammer dulcimer. Homespun Tapes. Read by John McCutcheon. (DBM03919) Classic harmonica blues. …