UWM Librarian Rocks and Rolls

MILWAUKEE - The terms "library" and "rock 'n' roll" go together like "quiet" and "loud." Until now.

Rebecca Littman, head of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Music and Sound Recording Library in the Golda Meir Library, combined these opposites with her compilation of the top 140 Rock Albums. The list is now being used as a national reference for music libraries.

Littman put the list together over a three-year period from sources like Rolling Stone and Spin Magazine, as well as input from fellow music lovers.

She used different criteria for recordings from different eras. For example, the arrival of the concept album in the '60s changed rock, so albums of that type make up part of the list. The 140 albums were then sorted by decade.

Littman began compiling a comprehensive list of rock music to fulfill UWM's American Popular Music course's need for music to support the curriculum.

Littman says she became sidetracked until she spoke to an acquaintance from the Music Library Service Company (MLSC) at an annual conference. MLSC provides collections for music libraries, but most have been classical. The MLSC expressed interest in Littman's Top 140 rock albums, since they had no rock lists in their collection.

Littman completed the list last summer.

"It was actually really fun to put together," said Littman. "I sat in my office and sang songs all day."

Littman's list is on the MLSC Web site and can be found at http://www.mlscmusic.com/core%20collection.htm

(CONTACT: Rebecca Littman, 414-229-5529)

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