Circulating Sounds – How Mills Music Library is Making Waves on WSUM

By Ashley Luehmann, UW-Madison Libraries Communications Assistant

Libraries, records, and radio shows? Tom Caw and Nate Gibson from the UW-Madison Libraries’ Mills Music Library, are spicing up WSUM’s airwaves this spring with their new show, Circulating Sounds. A “smorgasbord” of music with a new theme every week, Circulating Sounds delivers samples of the wide array of music held by Mills Music Library! 

Both Caw and Gibson are radio veterans, participating in shows as undergraduates. The idea for a Mills Music Library-focused radio show has been brewing in Caw’s head for years. He and Nate discussed pitching it as a way to promote the library’s vast collection of music. With more recorded sound than one could listen to in 5,000 lifetimes, they have quite the assortment for the world to hear. 

“It’s part of the joy and challenge of doing something like this,” notes Caw, referencing the ability to curate sounds.

This spring, Circulating Sounds became part of the schedule on WSUM 91.7 FM Madison (aka Snake on the Lake), the University’s student-run community radio station. 

In March, however, putting together a show took on a different meaning, as the COVID-19 pandemic turned everyday life upside down. While Caw and Gibson can record from home, they have to get creative to continue rolling in music from Mills since the Libraries’ physical spaces are currently closed. 

“The challenge for us in continuing to produce the show while we’re working from home is the lack of access to all the recordings at Mills Music Library,” says Caw. “I brought home all the CDs from Mills to create our April 2 show. After that, Nate and I will be using recordings from our personal collections, which happen to be music also held by Mills, as well as the digital collections we can access remotely.“

Caw and Gibson still record episodes and submit them to the WSUM Program Director, who then adds the station IDs and Public Service Announcements before they hit the air. According to Gibson, “The shows vary significantly from week to week, often highlighting specific collections or formats, sometimes showcasing unique or rare recordings, and other times just playing amazing music that we want folks to hear. The show is essentially a platform to showcase the broad range of music we hold and circulate across campus.” 

While Circulating Sounds truly is an eclectic variety of music, a flare of Wisconsin makes its presence every few shows. The show shines a spotlight on the sometimes underrepresented Wisconsin music scene, which fosters musicians and record labels. Many listeners are unaware the featured tunes have roots in our state. Sharing this work helps champion a community that has had an impact on the music world for decades. 

Show themes sample the Wisconsin-based Cuca Records, the Mills Circulating LP collection, UW-Madison faculty recordings from the Mead Witter School of Music, and many more. 

Tune in to Circulating Sounds on 91.7 FM from noon – 1 every Thursday or stream live online at WSUM.org.