Do You Know Your Music History?

Posted on March 11, 2025 by Chris Kretz

Before there was Spotify and streaming and endless digital catalogs, listening to music was a physical experience. You bought something flat and round that you held in your hands and then you put it into or onto a device and played it. You might have to turn a few knobs to get everything to sound just right. And then as you listened, you could look at the album cover or the liner notes or maybe some special inserted materials – a whole universe of information surrounding the music.

Three people installing a display. — The display being installed.

You can experience that yourself through the new library Galleria display. We’ve exploded a Beach Boys box set from our Music Library collection to show you the range of materials involved. On the technology side, you’ll see what holds more music – 7″ vinyl, 12″ vinyl or your standard CD?

Display case featuring vinyl records and posters. — Display case in the Melville Library Galleria.

You’ll also learn the fascinating history of the Beach Boys Smile sessions. They went into a recording studio in the late 1960s, poised to record an ambitious, ground-breaking concept album based on the brilliant mind of Brian Wilson. It was never released in its original form. The box set represents a recreation by audio engineers in 2011.

And to bring everything full circle, the display does have a link to Spotify so you can listen to the music as you take it all in.

This display was created with students Lara Gouda and Vicky Shi. Special thanks to music librarian Gisele Schierhorst and instructional support technician Chryso Tsoumpelis.