Bella and Harry Wexner Libraries of Sound and SongThe Bella and Harry Wexner Libraries of Sound and Song (National Library of Israel) website will provide access to digitized music recordings, comprehensive catalog information in Hebrew and English about the myriad music resources available and their context, including sound recordings, books, and archives.
The Legacy Heritage Fund has facilitated a project to preserve and provide access to the treasures of Israel’s National Sound Archives. As part of this project, the Bella and Harry Wexner Libraries of Sound and Song, a state of the art facility located within the National Library of Israel, was established. These libraries will leverage the rich resources rescued and preserved with the Legacy Heritage Fund support. The goal: rescuing and digitally preserving tens of thousands of hours of precious and historically significant sound materials of the myriad cultures and time periods of Jewish people, for the use and enjoyment of generations to come. The vision: bringing this unparalleled music heritage to life through the rescue and digital preservation of the historical material, and the promotion of access through a newly established website and a state of the art physical facility. The precious material to be preserved entails the largest collection of Jewish and Israeli music in recorded sound. These recordings, together with music manuscripts, printed material and personal archives of composers and performers--all located in the Wexner Libraries-- will enhance Jewish and Israeli cultural awareness within Israel the Jewish world, and internationally.