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Swarthmore College WSRN (Radio Station) records

 Collection
Identifier: SFHL-RG6-Q011

Scope and Contents

Consists of three folders of background information, program guides, and an inventory of the recordings, in addition to 37 boxes of original recordings.

Organized into three series:

  1. History
  2. Program Guides
  3. Recordings

Dates

  • Creation: 1957-1997

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research. Please note that many recordings are in obsolete formats and/or extremely fragile and cannot be accessed in the original form. Digital copies are available for a small number of the recordings. If a patron desires to listen to a recording that has not yet been digitized, they may request it be digitized at the expense of the requestor.

Physical Access Note

All or part of this collection is stored off-site. Contact Swarthmore College Archives staff at archives@swarthmore.edu at least two weeks in advance of visit to request boxes.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright has not been assigned to Friends Historical Library All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in to the Director. Permission for publication is given on behalf Friends Historical Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by reader.

Biographical / Historical

The Swarthmore College Radio Club, founded before 1933, was reorganized in 1939. It was open to all students interested in short wave radio communication. The Club had its own transmitter and operated station W3YJ, affiliated with the American Radio Relay League. In 1940, the Radio Club began to sponsor the Swarthmore Network, a wired wireless station on the commercial broadcast band. The purpose of the Network, as stated in the 1944-45 Student Handbook, was to provide experience in radio and an interesting extra-curricular activity…and to transmit quality radio entertainment. At that time the station was located in West Trotter Hall. The station acquired its current call letters, WSRN, sometime before 1952; it was a member of the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS).

Extent

16 linear ft.

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Swarthmore College Radio Club, founded before 1933, was reorganized in 1939. It was open to all students interested in short wave radio communication. The club had its own transmitter and operated station W3YJ, affiliated with the American Radio Relay League. In 1940, the Radio Club began to sponsor the Swarthmore Network, a wired wireless station on the commercial broadcast band. The station acquired its current call letters, WSRN, sometime before 1952; it was a member of the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS). Collection consists of three folders of background information, program guides, and an inventory of the recordings, in addition to 37 boxes of original recordings.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Deposit: WSRN

Date: 2002

Separated Materials

Photographs, ca. 1948-1979, stored in Swarthmore College Photograph Collection

Processing Information

Recordings are inventoried and stored off-site. Photographs added to SPA 201, Swarthmore College Student Activities.

Title
WSRN (Radio Station) Records, 1957-1997
Author
Finding Aid Prepared by FHL staff
Date
2007
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Find It at the Library

Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting repoductions from Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College Library

Contact:
500 College Avenue
Swarthmore Pennsylvania 19081 USA