Collections by Subject: National Public Radio
A Selected List of Holdings in Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries
For more information about how to access materials in this guide, please visit the Maryland Room web page or fill out an information request.
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Christopher Buchanan Papers, 1971-1977. 0.25 linear foot.
Location: Mass Media and Culture
As a freelance documentary producer in both public and commercial television, as well as public radio, Christopher Buchanan has contributed his producing skills to NPR, PBS, ABC, and the BBC. From 1986 to 1988, he produced stories for National Public Radio's news and information programs, and worked as an associate producer for "All Things Considered" for much of 1992. For the Public Broadcasting Service, Buchanan contributed to several programs in the series Frontline as either associate producer or field producer. These programs include the Peabody award-winning examination of the 1988 presidential candidates "The Choice," "Pentagon, Inc.," and "Betrayal of Democracy." In his job capacity, Buchanan conducted preliminary and on-camera interviews, and took care of all field production arrangements. The collection consists of Buchanan's 1974 senior thesis "The Struggle for the Soul of Public Television: A Case Study in Decision Making," interview notes, and newspaper clippings.
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Lee C. Frischknecht Papers, 1953-1993. 19.50 linear feet.
Location: Mass Media and Culture
Lee C. Frischknecht has spent his professional life in educational and public broadcasting. In 1964, he joined National Educational Television as its Director of Field Services. There, he coordinated relations with individual stations and aided in organizing the technical operations. Six years later, after overseeing the University of Utah's radio and television station, Frischknecht joined National Public Radio as Director of Network Affairs, performing many of the same functions he had at NET. In 1972, he became NPR's vice president, with duties of corporate and long-range planning. He became president in 1973, focusing most of his efforts on relations with member stations, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and Congress. After leaving NPR in 1978 for many consulting projects, Frischknecht joined Arizona State University's station KAET in 1980 as Education Telecommunications Manager. There, he administered all educational and instructional facets of the station's operations until he retired in 1993. He died in 2005. The collection documents Frischknecht's work in public broadcasting from his early work with NET through his tenure at NPR, and ending with his work at KAET.
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Kenneth J. Garry Papers, 1970-1988 and undated. 7.00 linear feet.
Location: Mass Media and Culture
Kenneth J. Garry has worked in broadcasting at various locations including WUSI/WSUI at the Southern Illinois University and at WCTE (Cookeville, Tennessee) where he is currently General Manager. The collection documents the growth and early history of various public radio organizations.
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George Geesey Papers, 1965-1980 and undated. 6.00 linear feet.
Location: Mass Media and Culture
In 1961, George Geesey became the first manager of WAMU-FM in Washington, DC. He brought this network experience with him when he became the Director of Operations (and Engineering) at National Public Radio. In 1976, he was assigned to the Satellite Interconnection System Project Office (SISPO) as Radio Coordinator. This collection documents Geesey's career at National Public Radio, particularly his time with NPR's Satellite Interconnection System Project Office (SISPO).
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Presley D. Holmes Papers, 1947-1984 and undated. 3.50 linear feet.
Location: Mass Media and Culture
Presley D. Holmes' broadcasting career ranges from being director of broadcasting at WOUB (Athens, OH) from 1962 to 1970 to working for the National Association of Educational Broadcasters as director of the Educational Television Stations Division. He was also a member of the "six-pack," which advised the Corporation for Public Broadcasting on the structure and formation of the Public Broadcasting Service. In addition, he worked for PBS in 1973 as Director of Planning and Research and for National Public Radio (NPR) as programming vice president from 1974 to 1977. The collection documents Holmes' work in instructional and public broadcasting.
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Samuel C.O. Holt Papers, 1951-1995 and undated. 33.50 linear feet.
Location: Mass Media and Culture
Samuel C. O. Holt started his public broadcasting career in 1969, when he directed a Public Radio Study, commissioned by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Ford Foundation. This study "outlined a course of action followed by CPB in developing a national system of public radio." From 1970 to 1973, he was Coordinator of Programming at the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). There, he developed and oversaw PBS's national program service; programming included Masterpiece Theatre, Firing Line, Zoom, and The Electric Company. He also was responsible for the oversight of the development of closed captioning and for initial efforts in the coordination of educational programs for classrooms. In 1977, Holt joined National Public Radio as Senior Vice President for Programming and directed the Programming Division until 1983. There, he created new programming services, including the new shows Morning Edition, NPR Playhouse, The Sunday Show, and NPR Plus. In addition, he expanded news coverage, developed the Public Radio Audience measurement system, began educational services, and initiated NPR's cassette marketing. The collection documents Holt's work as project director of the Public Radio Study from 1967 to 1969, as PBS's Coordinator of Programming from 1970 to 1973 and as NPR's Senior Vice President for Programming from 1977 to 1983.
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Bernard Mayes Papers, 1912-2001. 1.75 linear feet.
Location: Mass Media and Culture
The Bernard Mayes Papers, which cover the period 1912-2001, document Maye's broadcasting career at KQED (San Francisco, CA), National Public Radio (NPR) and at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The collection also includes Mayes' personal collection of articles and papers documenting the history of public broadcasting.
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National Public Radio Archives: Office of the General Counsel Files, 1970-1986 and undated. 12.75 linear feet.
Location: Mass Media and Culture
Incorporated in 1970, National Public Radio produces and distributes public radio programming. The Office of the General Counsel handles NPR's legal affairs in a variety of issues including music rights and labor law. Materials include correspondence, reports and legal papers.
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Louisa A. Nielsen Papers, 1976 and undated. 0.50 linear foot.
Location: Mass Media and Culture
From 1976 to 1979, Louisa A. Nielsen worked for National Public Radio as director of the Programming Department's Educational Programming Services Division. Her responsibilities included developing and marketing the NPR Audio Cassette Service, member station programming and radio services for the blind. From 1979 to 1982, she was the program officer of Media Programs for the National Education for the Humanities. There, she directed the development of cultural broadcast programming in the humanities for NPR and PBS. The collection documents the Educational Services Study Project undertaken by National Public Radio in 1976.
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Special Collections in Mass Media and Culture Serials Collection, 1910-2012. 1,557 lin ft..
Location: Mass Media and Culture
The Special Collections in Mass Media and Culture Serials Collection contains fan magazines, academic journals, industry trade magazines, yearbooks, and boudn press releases documenting the radio, television, advertising, journalism, film, and humor from the early 1900's to the present. Many of the serial titles are bound while others are unbound.
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Susan Stamberg Collection, 1921 - 2001 and undated. 26.00 linear feet.
Location: Mass Media and Culture
Susan Stamberg is best known as a co-host on National Public Radio's All Things Considered from 1971 to 1986 and as the host of Weekend Edition Sunday from its inception in 1987 to 1989. In her later career in the 1990s she worked as a cultural reporter on various NPR newsmagazines. The bulk of the collection documents Stamberg's career at WAMU in Washington, DC and her career at NPR from 1971 until 2000. It also contains materials from numerous other projects, including her books Every Night at Five, The Wedding Cake in the Middle of the Road, Talk, and her other writings.
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Papers of Paul K. Taff, 1959-1984. 2.50 linear feet.
Location: Mass Media and Culture
Paul K. Taff's participation in educational and public broadcasting focused primarily on children's programming. After working for various stations in the Midwest (WBEZ, Chicago; WTVP, Decatur, Illinois; WMVS, Milwaukee), he joined National Educational Television in 1960. There, he was assistant program director, director of program operations, and director of children's programming. Other activities in public broadcasting have included: member, National Association of Educational Broadcasters (NAEB), children's program director, Educational Broadcasting Union (EBU), member, National Public Radio's Committee on Long Range Planning and Legislation Resource Group; member, Eastern Public Radio Network (EPRN) board; and co-chairman and trustee, Public Radio Transponder (Westar IV). The collection consists of materials concerning National Educational Television, children's programming, legislative issues, and public broadcasting.