Comprised of nearly 900 16mm and 35mm films and videotapes, the Ruth Page Dance Collection documents historic dance performances, rehearsals and interviews from 1920 through the 1990's. more ›

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum became the first Presidential Library to put all of its content online. The four-year, $10 million project ultimately digitized 200,000 pages, 1,200 recordings and 300 museum artifacts, as well as reels of film and hundreds of photographs. Much of the press has been given to how JFK tweaked the signature line in his inaugural address. But, seeing as how Kennedy owed his election to Richard J. Daley's ability to swing Illinois to him, we searched the archives for any phone recordings that may be available between JFK and the Boss. What is available is a good glimpse into the power Daley wielded during his reign as Mayor. more ›

Inherent Vice: Bootleg Histories of Videotape and Copyright is a new book examining the history of analog videotape, specifically VHS. Essentially introduced to consumers as a "blank format," its aesthetic properties and technological flexibility immediately placed it at the center of a legal maelstrom. At first movie studios and other copyright holders resisted VHS, but after U.S. courts reinterpreted copyright law to protect fair use by consumers they changed their tune and found ways to exploit the technology. This of course led to the VHS explosion of the 80's and 90's (by 1998 about 96.3% of all American households owned at least one VCR). Although VHS is now an "outdated" format (perhaps soon to be joined by DVD), it radically changed not only how audiences watched things but what they watched. For the first time viewers were able to easily manipulate content, via time shifting, and even create their own. In other words, at the risk of stating the obvious, VHS paved the way for TiVo and YouTube. more ›