California State University, Northridge
Oviatt Library

What is IGRA? The International Guitar Research Archive

History of IGRA

In 1980, Vahdah Olcott-Bickford-Revere nee Ethyl Lucretia Olcott (1885-1980) passed away leaving a legacy of American and foreign guitar music prints, guitar journals and correspondence reflecting the history of guitar in the United States from 1880 to the present. This unique guitar music collection is now being catalogued and contains over 10,000 titles of 19th and 20th century editions.

The collection first appeared under the name VOB (Vahdah Olcott-Bickford). Within a decade, many donors sent music prints, journals and correspondence to add to the collection. The name was changed to reflect this growing collection to IGRA (International Guitar Research Archive).

A special topic appeared in The Cadenza under the series "The Guitarist" Vol. XXVIII, No. 4 (April 1921), entitled "The Gentle Art of Collecting." In this article Vahdah speaks of her favorite hobby, "collecting a fine library of guitar literature," and goes on to say "This is a delightful kind of collecting, not only for the soloist, the teacher and the 'guitar fan', but for the students of the instrument as well." The article discusses the merits of collecting "modern writers," obtaining those editions soon to go "out of print" and the "old masters." She concludes by saying the collector "will find it interesting, practical, very economical and altogether fascinating." Her own collection reflects this attitude and demonstrates a keen eye for variety and rarity. This is true of the total collection.

This library is now being prepared to offer database queries and fascimile reproduction of public domain music prints. If you have any questions regarding orders, email us at igra@csun.edu.

IGRA would like to acknowledge the Augustine Foundation for its support.

Contact Information:

International Guitar Research Archive
Special Collections, Oviatt Library
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330 - 8326
email: igra@csun.edu
Telephone: (818) 677-7633

A Letter from Dr. Purcell , director of IGRA

Benefactors

18111 Nordhoff St. Northridge CA 91330 (818) 677-2285