The James R. and Susan Neumann Jazz Collection has as its focal point over 100,000 jazz recordings in a variety of formats (78s, 45s, LPs, CDs, DVDs).

The Collection also contains a large number of print materials, including several thousand books on jazz and over 100 titles of jazz and blues periodicals that encompass 125 linear feet of shelf space. There are thousands of musicians’ photographs and autographs, along with additional memorabilia including film and concert posters, concert programs, sheet music, record catalogs, and artifacts.

The Collection began arriving at Oberlin in October 2011, and several additional accessions have been received since that point. At present, Oberlin has received: 45,000 LPs; 3,500 78s; 125 linear feet of periodicals; 20 linear feet of concert programs, record catalogs, and sheet music; 600 film posters; nearly 1,000 concert and event posters; and various other ephemera and artifacts. These materials are currently being processed, cataloged, and digitized, and the finding aid is updated regularly as new materials come available for use.

More information on the Collection is available through a 2007 article from the Oberlin Conservatory Magazine and a 2008 article from DownBeat magazine.

To request access to the collection, contact Conservatory Library special collections staff