Many of our users know about the Library’s collections of feature films on video and DVD, of popular music recordings, of best-selling books on tape, and of CD-ROMs. But the multimedia holdings include other, less well-known collections.
The central location for most of these collections is in the Films & Recordings Department at the Main Library, but many are also available at and through the Library’s branches.
Cincinnati History Slides
The Films & Recordings Department began its Cincinnati History slide collection in 1949. There are now over 1700 slides in the collection, including 500 that were transferred from glass lantern slides. Many of these slides were digitized as part of the Greater Cincinnati Memory Project.
Films & Recordings Department
Lantern Slides
Lantern slides, often referred to as “magic” lantern slides, were in high fashion in America during the 1890’s; however the history of lantern slides leads back to 17th century Europe. These hand-painted glass slides, measuring approximately 3×4″, were designed to be projected onto a large screen for groups of people to view, unlike stereoscopic photographs, which could be viewed by only one person at a time. There are over 65,000 slides in the department’s collection.
Films & Recordings Department
African-American Lives On Video
This collection of videos and DVDs includes over 150 Black Heritage Feature Films such as Daughters of the Dust, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, A Woman Called Moses, and Monster’s Ball. It includes biographies of famous African-Americans, titles about civil rights and race relations, and many videos celebrating the arts and musical performances.
Films & Recordings Department
American Feature Films For Spanish Speakers
A recent addition to the Films & Recordings Department, a selection of approximately 50 American films with subtitles in Spanish is available for our Spanish speaking customers. Some titles include: Braveheart, Men in Black, Ocean’s Eleven, and Titanic.
Films & Recordings Department
Art Videos
One of the basic tenets of a public library’s mission is the promise of a continued education for whoever seeks it. Anyone who has ever been interested in art will be amazed at the diverse collection of art videos available in the Films & Recording’s Department, including titles such as Art of the Western World; Sister Wendy’s American Collection (museums); The Fantastic world of M.C. Escher; Hermitage Masterpieces; and African-American Art: Past and Present. How-to videos on photography, painting, and cinematography are also available.
Films & Recordings Department
Business Videos
Our collection of business videos is a great resource for the business community, offering a variety of titles about management, selling, hiring, computer programming, customer service, presentation planning, business etiquette, and how to start a business, to name a few subjects.
Films & Recordings Department
Childbirth and Parenting Videos
From pregnancy to the terrible twos and beyond, a wealth of information on childbirth, children, and parenting is available to the public on video. Titles include: Choices in Childbirth; Stages of Labor: A Visual Guide; My Brother Bit Me! Parenting Siblings; Baby Massage & Exercise; Baby & Mom Yoga; and Still Shiny: The Newborn’s First 28 days.
Films & Recordings Department
Foreign Films
The Films & Recordings Department has a collection of hundreds of celebrated foreign language films representing nearly 60 countires. Some favorites include Academy Award winners such as Garden of the Finzi-Continis; Babette’s Feast; Indochine; and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Films & Recordings Department
Music Videos
In addition to a world-class collection of popular, jazz, folk, and classical music on compact discs, a collection of taped performances and archival film clips is also available on video. Histories of music genres, such as Jazz Collection (10 volumes) and the History of Rock and Roll (10 volumes), offer highlights of original artists and commentary on the cultural environment of each period. Individual performances cover artists such as Robert Johnson, Reba McEntire, Woody Guthrie, and Shirley Caesar. This browsing collection also includes instructional videos on a number of musical instruments.
Films & Recordings Department
Travel Videos
Whether your travels are domestic or foreign, vacation or business, our large collection of travel and description videos will help acquaint you with the local flavor of your destination. The Films & Recordings Department has a special travel section for videos and a folder of travel videos by country.
Films & Recordings Department
The Vital History Series
The Vital History Series produced by CBS, consists of over 200 audiocassettes that cover the years 1971 through 1976. Each year has 20 to 30 volumes in chronological order covering speeches of political figures, discussions of events of national and international importance, and oral history. Some examples are: “Patty Hearst Tells Her Story,” “Mark Spitz Speaking On His Olympic Triumph,” and “A Conversation With Jimmy Carter.”
Films & Recordings Department
Classical Music
The classical music collection (10,000+ titles on CD) is the jewel in the crown of the Films & Recordings Department and is used frequently by classical music students and by classical music lovers from all over the city. Special collections include: Bach 2000, the Complete Bach Edition (12 volumes), Complete Mozart Edition (31 volumes), 100 Masterpieces of Classical Music, and Yellow Guide to Opera. If you are a fan of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the department has a schedule of works to be performed, by date, and can supply you with recordings of the pieces being played.
Films & Recordings Department
Old-Time Radio Programs
Do you remember Amos ’n Andy, Burns and Allen, Charlie McCarthy, Jack Benny, the Great Gildersleeve, and the Inner Sanctum? These old-time radio broadcasts and many others are available on audiocassette or compact disc in a special browsing collection housed in the Films & Recordings Department.
Films & Recordings Department
Oscar Treadwell Collection
Legendary jazz DJ Oscar Treadwell has been immortalized in song by such greats as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Thelonious Monk. Highly respected by jazz musicians and jazz enthusiasts everywhere, Mr. Treadwell spent over twenty years on the Cincinnati airwaves hosting hundreds of interviews and musical performances on his late night radio show “Jazz with O.T.” Over 250 of these radio broadcasts are available on audio cassette.
Films & Recordings Department
World Music On Compact Disc
The Films & Recordings Department has been collecting folk music from all over the world for many years. Over 100 countries are represented in this special collection, including recordings from Madagascar, Laos, Poland, Peru, Vietnam, and Senegal. Some special compilations include the Smithsonian Folkways World Music Collection, Putumayo Presents One World, and 20 Best of Today’s Folk Music.
Films & Recordings Department