The Library of American Broadcasting
The LAB is one of the most robust archival collections documenting the history of broadcasting in the U.S., reflecting its people, policies, programming, and the indispensable role it plays in American culture." It is part of of the Special Collections division of the University Libraries of the University of Maryland and is housed within the Hornbake Library at the school’s main campus in College Park, Maryland.
For more information on the library, email askhornbake@umd.edu or call 301-405-9212.
By the Numbers
2,000 linear feet of manuscripts
7,000 books
6,000 audio tapes, including 1,100 oral histories, interviews and speeches
7,000 industry-related pamphlets
300 trade magazines
225,000 photographs
8,000 recorded discs
2,000 radio and television scripts
Noteworthy Collections
American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT) records: Thousands of clippings, scrapbooks, convention programs, photos, booklets, manuals, correspondence, and oral history recordings documenting the organization from its founding in 1951 through 1999.
Group W (Westinghouse Broadcasting Co.) audio tapes: More than 2,100 audio tapes containing national news feeds, programs, and interviews covering worldwide events delivered over the radio from 1957-1982.
Don West Broadcasting and Cable collection: Over 30,000 photos from the long history of Broadcasting & Cable magazine throughout the 20th century.
Parks Johnson collection on Vox Pop: Thousands of transcription discs, photos, and other programmatic material documenting the popular human-interest program from 1932-1948.
LAB Scripts collection: Thousands of radio and television scripts from 1925-1991 from comedy, drama, soap operas, quiz programs, news programs, and music programs.
Radio Advertising Bureau collection: 3,300 audiovisual items containing award-winning radio ads between 1954-1968.
Helen Sioussat papers: Over 53 linear feet of records from Sioussat's long career with CBS News as public affairs programmer.
Howard K. Smith papers: Over 240 linear feet of records documenting his broadcast journalism career at CBS and ABC.
Go Deep at LAB
To showcase its extensive collections, the LAB has gathered samplings of broadcast recordings, interviews and other materials around cultural issues, famous people and major news events over the years. These thematic virtual exhibits cover the portrayal and coverage of Blacks (left), the Watergate scandal, the assassination of Martin Luther King, street demonstrations, Westinghouse radio pioneerJoseph Baudino, the first Moon landing, presidential inaugurations, coverage of elections and U.S. propaganda during WW II, among other topics.
Annual LABF-LAB Meetup
Each summer, the LABF holds its annual board meeting at the University of Maryland in College Park, where members can visit the Library of American Broadcasting archives and and mix with the university administrators and curators. Among those present for this year’s June 9 meeting (l-r, those not otherwise identified are LABF board members): Jim Baxter, Coordinator, Mass Media & Culture, Special Collections and University Archives, Collection Strategies and Services; Laura Schnitker, Curator, Mass Media & Culture Archives; Heidi Raphael; Jim Morley; John Taylor; Heather Birks; Daniel C. Mack, Associate Dean, Collection Strategies and Services; Kyle Zeller, Chief Development Officer; Jack Goodman; Tim Dukes; Deborah Parenti, Mary Collins; Jeffrey Liberman; Dave “Chachi” Denes; Walter “Wally” Podrazik; L’ael Hughes-Watkins, Acting Head of Special Collections and University Archives; Cate Mayfield, Associate Director, Special Collections and University Archives; Steven Portnoy, ABC Correspondent (LABF Board Guest); Michael Henry, Coordinator, Mass Media & Culture, Special Collections and University Archives, Collection Strategies and Services.