The 1912 sinking of the Titanic immediately caught the attention of the world press. It also came during an era of sheet music production that constantly churned out new songs […]
Sheet Music Deep Dive: Titanic
Sheet Music Deep Dive: Mountains
Now that summer is in full swing and national parks are seeing spikes in visitors, this week’s sheet music deep dive is dedicated to mountains and trails (not to be […]
Sheet Music Deep Dive: Napoleon
Bastille Day is coming up next week, and although the Levy Sheet Music Collection doesn’t have any songs related to the French holiday, there are at least a dozen inspired […]
Sheet Music Deep Dive: Fireworks
Fireworks have been around since the Han Dynasty in China (200 B.C.E.), when hollow bamboo sticks were thrown into fires to expand and eventually explode. Chemicals were soon added to […]
Sheet Music Deep Dive: Parrots
Animal lovers have been keeping birds as pets for hundreds if not thousands of years—they can be found throughout history from Egyptian hieroglyphs to homing pigeons, and in White House […]
Sheet Music Deep Dive: Tin Pan Alley
This week, rather than diving into a unique subject heading from the Lester Levy Sheet Music Collection, I decided to share a teaser for an upcoming map project. Before Times […]
NERL Update: Libraries Work Toward an Open and Equitable Future
An April post described how the NERL Consortium (Johns Hopkins University is a Core Member) issued a public statement describing how they will negotiate with publishers for a better deal for […]
Sheet Music Deep Dive: Ferris Wheels
The original Ferris wheel was unveiled at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, designed by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. Leading up to the fair, the revolutionary attraction was heavily […]
Sheet Music Deep Dive: Prohibition
The temperance movement in the United States started in the 18th century, advocating for the abstention from alcohol and drugs. Organizations including the Anti Saloon League and Womens Christian Temperance […]
Sheet Music Deep Dive: Volcanoes
During my sophomore year of music school, I took a class in earth science. There I learned about the loudest sound in recorded history—the 1883 eruption of the Krakatoa volcano […]