We Love Vinyl!

Did you know that the Art, Music and Recreation Department has vinyl records that you can check out? While these recordings are commonly called LPs -- standing for Long Playing records - at the Library these labelled PD for "Phono Disc." They are located on Aisle 52 on the Fourth Floor of the Main Library

PD Collection FAQs

1. When did the Library stop ordering PD’s? 

We added the last ones in 1990 and stopped ordering them after the 1989 earthquake. We started acquiring CD’s around 1991. The Main Library never ordered music cassettes.

2. How many do we have in the collection? 

We currently have around 5000 PD’s but only about 2200 are in the catalog. This means that you can find a lot of hidden gems if you browse. The call number starts with PD (Phonodisc).

3. Do they circulate? 

Yes, the records in the collection circulate. Due to their size they can't be checked out on self-check machines.  Take them to the Borrowers Service service desk on the 1st floor to borrow them.

4. What genres are represented? 

Folk, classical, world, country, Jazz, rock, pop, punk, early music, Spoken word including poetry and other literature, instructional records, and much more.

5. Are these the only PD’s in the SFPL system? 

The San Francisco History Center also has PD’s but they are for library-use only.

6. Do we have a record player that patrons can use? 

The only record player at the Main is in the S.F. History Room and can only be used by patrons using their reference PD collection. We have no record players to listen to our circulating collection, or for patrons to listen to their own records.

 
Interesting Trivia:

*Starting in the 1940’s the Library held programs which were “listening” concerts where we played records for the public in the Lurie Room at the Old Main Library.

*In 1969 we had 7000 PDs in the collection and circulated 1000 weekly.

Popular call numbers to browse include:

PD 782 (Opera)
PD 784.5 (Popular music)
PD 785.42 (Jazz)