Robert Grimes Collection, Preliminary Inventory

Identity elements

Reference code

US US.INSON Mss 008

Name and location of repository

Level of description

Item

Title

Robert Grimes Collection, Preliminary Inventory

Date(s)

  • 1895 - 2011 (Publication)

Extent

Approximately 570 cubic feet; 276 bankers boxes

Name of creator

Biographical history

Content and structure elements

Scope and content

The collection contains 34,000 pieces of sheet music, 14,000 recordings, 3,300 books, 200 publicity photographs, news clippings and correspondence.

System of arrangement

The sheet music comprises the bulk of the collection. Approximately 80% of it has been processed in its original order and is sorted into 6 series: Songs by Title, Songs from Musicals and Movies, Songs about Places, Songs by Composer, Songs by Performer, and Songs by Subject Matter.
The books in this collection have been cataloged and can be found in our LibraryWorld catalog (link can be found on homepage). The remainder are still in process.

Conditions of access and use elements

Conditions governing access

All material is open to the public without restriction. Copyright laws of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) govern the making of photocopies or other reproductions.

Physical access

Technical access

Conditions governing reproduction

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to the Great American Songbook Foundation. Music written prior to 1925 is in the public domain. For more information, please consult the staff of the Library & Archives.

Languages of the material

Scripts of the material

Language and script notes

Some sheet music is not in English.

Finding aids

Due to the immense size of this collection, the attached finding aid includes only the sheet music inventoried through the end of 2017 and will not be regularly updated. If you would like to request a specific piece, please contact the staff of the Library & Archives info@thesongook.org.

Uploaded finding aid

Acquisition and appraisal elements

Custodial history

Immediate source of acquisition

Received from Robert Grimes on December 14, 2009 in San Francisco, CA. Funds to purchase collection were donated by the Gershwin Trust.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information

Recordings and books that were duplicates or outside the scope of the GASF collection development policy were disposed of in accordance with our collection management policy.

Accruals

Related materials elements

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related archival materials

Notes element

Specialized notes

  • Processing information: The sheet music is in process by Marcia Jansen.
  • Citation: Cite as Robert Grimes Collection, Great American Songbook Foundation.

Alternative identifier(s)

Description control element

Rules or conventions

Sources used

Archivist's note

Description created by Ashlee James, November 2017.

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

Related places