From the streets to academia: a librarian's guide to hip‐hop culture

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to identify a variety of titles and resources to offer both public and academic librarians guidance in establishing and maintaining a definitive core collection of past and present materials.

Design/methodology/approach

The annotated bibliography includes CD recordings, films, documentaries, serials, monographs and web sites on rap music and hip‐hop culture. The entries chosen were culled from rap music periodicals, reference works, catalogs and journals.

Findings

These resources showcase the innovation of rap's formative years. They trace the broad scope of rap musical styles and document and critique hip‐hop culture.

Originality/value

These selected titles capture distinctive periods in hip‐hop history and help librarians stay current and conscious of what to include in their collections as rap becomes more mainstream and more respectable.

Citation

Gibbons, W.C. (2007), "From the streets to academia: a librarian's guide to hip‐hop culture", Collection Building, Vol. 26 No. 4, pp. 119-126. https://doi.org/10.1108/01604950710831924