Foundation - Dust-to-Digital

Why We Exist

Our Mission

Contrary to the commonly held assumption that recorded sound from the past has been securely preserved, countless recordings have already been lost or destroyed, and many more remain at risk. Much of the world’s recorded musical heritage is vulnerable.

The Dust-to-Digital Foundation safeguards endangered sound recordings and the cultural histories they embody.

The Foundation locates, preserves, digitizes, documents, and responsibly shares recordings from across eras and formats so that the voices, music, traditions, and histories they contain can be heard and understood by present and future generations.

In Practice

Preservation Success Stories

Joe Bussard with a 78 from his basement collection

A Legendary Maryland Basement

Joe Bussard’s fabled basement collection, tens of thousands of pre-war 78s, was digitized and shared. A tireless hunter of shellac treasures, Bussard preserved music once thought lost, and digitization extended his mission to global audiences.

Archivist Nate Hun digitizing his Cambodian vinyl collection

Cambodian Rock ’n’ Roll

Working with Cambodian-American archivist Nate Hun, we digitized his rare vinyl from Cambodia’s pre-1975 “Golden Era,” recordings nearly destroyed under the Khmer Rouge. Preserving them revived a silenced musical heritage and safeguarded a vital piece of cultural memory.

A worship service at Rev. Johnny L. Jones's church in Atlanta

Documenting Community Worship

Rev. Johnny L. “Hurricane” Jones, pastor of Second Mount Olive Baptist Church in Atlanta, recorded his services on reel-to-reel for decades. Digitizing this collection preserved fragile tapes and made his voice and legacy available to future generations.

Nathan Salsburg with his rescued record collection

The Louisville Collection

We partnered with musician-archivist Nathan Salsburg to digitize his rescued trove of 78-rpm records, originally salvaged from a Louisville dumpster, revealing early folk, gospel, and country recordings whose survival was a matter of chance.

Frank Mare at his turntable with his record collection

A Trove of Country Music

Microbiologist Frank Mare brought his collection of old-time, bluegrass, and rare recordings to Covington, Georgia in the 1980s. Preserving his archive of thousands of records safeguarded scarce originals so his love of music endures.

Rare OKeh 78-rpm records from Roger Misiewicz's collection

The Canadian Collection

We collaborated to digitize Canadian enthusiast Roger Misiewicz’s renowned 78-rpm collection, celebrated for its rare blues, ragtime, and gospel. Our work expanded access to historically important tracks and honored his legacy in music history.

New Partnership · UC Santa Barbara

Building a Public Archive Together

The UCSB Library is one of the country's foremost homes for recorded sound. For more than two decades, its Special Research Collections have preserved and shared historic audio, including the Cylinder Audio Archive, a free digital collection of more than 10,000 wax cylinders recorded between 1893 and the 1920s, and the Discography of American Historical Recordings, a research database that documents the master recordings of the 78rpm era. This is an institution that has long treated recorded sound as cultural heritage worth saving.

Our partnership builds on that foundation. Together we are making the recordings preserved by the Dust-to-Digital Foundation accessible online to scholars, musicians, and the public, adding them to a growing, freely available resource. Where our work rescues these recordings from being lost, the collaboration with UCSB gives them a permanent home and an audience for generations to come.

♪ Browse the Collection

As Featured In

Musical Americana, the UC Santa Barbara Magazine feature on the Dust-to-Digital partnership

UC Santa Barbara Magazine, Summer 2026

Join Us

Support the Foundation

Every contribution, large or small, plays a critical role in ensuring these invaluable recordings and legacies remain available for generations to come. Choose whichever way is most comfortable for you:

Donate by Credit Card A secure one-time or monthly gift through Donorbox. Donate via Donorbox →

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Limited Edition Prints

Donors who give $100 or more are entitled to receive their choice of one of three posters.

View all prints →

Sun Ra quote screen print poster designed by Marie Lavis

Sun Ra quote screen print poster designed by Darryl Norsen

Tax-Deductible Donations

The Dust-to-Digital Foundation is exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to the Dust-to-Digital Foundation are deductible under section 170 of the Code.
EIN: 27-3076188

The Process

How We Preserve Music

Research & Relationships

We identify important recordings through trusted relationships with collectors, researchers, and communities, as well as archives, estate collections, and private holdings.

Digitization & Preservation

Using specialized equipment, we oversee the transfer of fragile media (78, 45, and 33 rpm records, reel-to-reel tapes, and cassettes) to high-resolution digital formats.

Process & Documentation

Our work interweaves technical skill, expertise, and documentation. Preserving music is more than transferring sound. It also involves accurate metadata and media management.

Presentation & Access

We share digitized recordings through curated albums, books, exhibitions, and a publicly accessible online database designed for scholars, music lovers, and the general public.

By the Numbers