Sites that offer free MP3s

Love to listen to your MP3 player, but paying for new downloads just isn\’t in your budget?? Check out this list of website that offer free Mp3 downloads compiled by Keep Rocking: 30+ Sites for Free and Legal Music. Maybe you\’ll discover the next big musical sensation!

  • Amazon MP3 Store – The vast majority of the music at Amazon is for sale, but they do have a rotation of free tracks available for download.
  • AmieStreet.com – Focused on promoting new and independent music, their downloads range from free to $0.98 as they grow in popularity.
  • Archive.org – An enormous collection of public domain music, expired copyright tracks, as well as some free contemporary music.
  • ArtistServer.com – It started off as a resource for independent electronic musicians, but is now open to all. All tracks can be downloaded for free.
  • BeSonic.com – Offers over 13,000 free tracks from mostly European acts.
  • BetterPropaganda.com – A music webzine covering hundreds of music labels, and offering thousands of free & legal songs for you to download.
  • CCMixter.org – a site dedicated to music that you can download to remix and post your results, all under the Creative Commons license.
  • Cooltoad.comDownload.com – Most people think CNet’s Download.com is just about software, but they also have tens of thousands of free MP3s you can download from new as well as up and coming bands.
  • Epitonic.com – A large selection of free tracks from smaller record companies that are free to download with larger releases available for purchase
  • EZ-Tracks.com – Offers over 30,000 legal downloads that are managed through a partnership with the labels. Starts you off with credit for 101 free upon registering.
  • FreeAlbums.blogsome.com – A blog that posts reviews of complete albums that are available for free downloads from numerous sources.
  • GarageBand.com – Independent bands can upload their music, then have it rated by users, as well as downloaded for free.
  • Imeem.com – Features streaming music from all of the major labels as well as numerous smaller companies, with numerous free downloadable tracks.
  • ItsFreeDownloads.com – Finding the free downloads on iTunes can be a chore, this site does the work for you and lets you know what’s free each week.
  • Jamendo.com – Artists upload their albums under Creative Commons, allowing new listeners to discover their work. Although free, there is the opportunity to donate to the performers of your choice.
  • Last.fm – While most people know Last.fm for its streaming and social aspects, they offer a weekly chart of downloadable free mp3s.
  • Live Music Archive – Part of Archive.org, features thousands of live performances by smaller bands as well as the likes of the Grateful Dead and Jason Mraz.
  • MetalHordes.com – A band promotion site focusing on various forms of heavy metal, and allowing bands to upload mp3s users can download for free.
  • MP3.com – Besides their paid section, MP3.com does offer a large selection of free tracks from acts small and large alike.
  • MP3.com.au – Focusing on Australian bands, mp3.com.au offers a repository for bands to upload their music for people to download and try for free.
  • MP34U – Works in conjunction with Muzic.com, this site finds sources of free music & legal music from all over the Web.
  • MP3Raid.com – Searches multiple sources to bring you approximately a million free song downloads.
  • Muzic.com – A sister site to MP34U, wherein the artists upload their tracks themselves, and muzic.com helps them promote their work.
  • Music.download.com—click on “111,000 Free MP3s” at the top of the page
  • Purevolume.com – Allows independent musicians to set up profiles for themselves, stream their music and gives them the option of enabling their work for free downloads.
  • Ruckus.com – Ruckus provides free music to people with .edu email addresses, and requires you to renew your licenses for DRM once a year.
  • SoundClick.com – Offering a mixture of signed and unsigned artists the opportunity to set up profile pages and either stream their music or offer it up for free downloads.
  • SpiralFrog.com– Major release albums and tracks available for the price of just watching some advertisements.
  • Stereogum.com – Daily free mp3s from various artists, as well as rotating free albums.
  • TuneShout.com – A site for independent artists to promote themselves. Artists can upload tracks either for free or at a user cost of $0.89.
  • We7.com – We7 offers mp3 downloads for free, but they do have advertisements attached to them. If you want them without the ads, they do offer a paid alternative.

Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

Ferguson Hall is 50!

Constructed in 1958-59, Ferguson Hall was completed in Jaunary 1959 and ready for the boys to move into the Spring semester of 1959. “Each room contained a bunk bed, sliding door closets, built in drawers, a cupboard, desk, bookshelves, and a wash basin, as well as tile lavatories and showers. The unairconditioned building did not have a lounge but shared the existing reception/recreation area in Bender Hall.” (Guthrie, John Tarleton and His Legacy, p.117)

Ferguson Hall was named after former Associate Dean George Ollie Ferguson. He was a lifelong Erath County resident and attended John Tarleton College from its opening year in 1899 until 1901. He received his BA from the University of Texas in 1907 and was hired at Tarleton in 1913 as professor and head of the department of history and economics. In 1920 he was promoted to Associate Dean and registrar and served in that capacity until semi-retirement in 1946. (Dick Smith Library Cross Timbers Historic Images Project, Chamberlain, George O. Ferguson narrative).

Print Periodicals

A couple months ago you read about how books and audiovisual items are added to the collection (selected, ordered, received, cataloged, and processed). What about periodicals: newspapers, magazines, scholarly and professional journals? This post will talk about those that come in a physical format (in print or on microform: microfiche, microfilm, or microcard), as opposed to electronic journals accessible through the library’s databases.

“We have individual subscriptions to 740 titles, although some are print, some are online, and some are print+online, just to keep it interesting,“ said Janie Jones, Assistant Director for Serials and Electronic Resources. For both print and microform newspapers and journals, Periodicals Specialist Sandy Dennis checks them in to our SIRSI database, to make the issues show up as part of our holdings in the online public access catalog.

The 15 newspapers the Dick Smith Library subscribes to are processed first, and put out on the shelf ASAP, due to their often-daily nature. The latest issue is on display in the eastern side of the Periodicals area (at the back of the main floor of the library), with slightly older issues on the shelf just below it. Even older issues are kept in a back room for a certain length of time, usually until a microform version of the periodical arrives.

Magazines and journals come out weekly, monthly, or even less frequently. The volume number and issue number are written in the top left corner of the cover with a colon between them (for example, 28:4 for volume 28, issue 4). The volume refers to all the issues published during a given publishing period (usually a calendar year, but not always).

Like newspapers, the latest issue of a periodical is displayed face-out, with a few older issues on the shelf just below. Older issues are kept either until a microform copy arrives, or until one or more volumes can be bound together with a hardback cover.

“We have five rows of cabinets full of microfilm and microfiche,” said Sandy. When the microforms arrive, they are checked in like paper copies and filed.

What happens if an issue of a newspaper or journal does NOT come in on time? How do we get it? “They may be claimed after a designated period of time through [the vendor’s] claims process,” explained Sandy. “Usually we receive a replacement. If we are unable to get a replacement we then add that title to our Gaps list,” and those missing issues are requested through Duplicate Exchange, a national listserv through which libraries offer unneeded titles to other libraries.

Binding helps preserve the journals by keeping individual issues from falling apart or being lost. The Dick Smith Library contracts with a bindery service. The number of issues bound together depends on the thickness of an individual issue. “Some journals are thick and you may only be able to bind two or three of the journals at a time,” said Sandy. “The bound thickness cannot be over 2.75 inches.” Very thin journals might have two or more years’ worth put together. They are bound inside a solid-colored hardbound cover which is printed with the name of the journal and the volume number(s) and year(s) it includes.

Bound journals are stored on the northwest side of the Library, going back to 1986. Journals from 1985 and earlier are stored Offsite. Sandy stated, “We have Offsite request forms for patrons [also available online] and we check email [[email protected]] for requests” as well as for interlibrary loan. “Trips to Offsite are scheduled twice a day,” explained Janie, “but we will try to work with patrons.”

Faculty and grad assistants may check out periodicals for a week. Students are not allowed to remove periodicals from the library, but may make copies as needed. Periodicals requested from Offsite are held at the Circulation Desk for a week for use by the student, and are subsequently returned Offsite. “We do note usage of onsite periodicals, so patrons do not need to refile periodicals; they may be left on tables, or placed in the bins available,” said Janie. “And so it goes!”

Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Library Services you should know


It Tuesday again! Wow how the semester is flying by. I wanted to do a follow up from my previous post The 10 Library Resources you should know and talk about 10 Library Services everyone should know about!
  1. SEARCH for articles, proceedings, abstracts, and .pdfs using the best Article Databases
  2. LOCATE journals in electronic format. – SFX
  3. SEARCH for books, eBooks, journals & AV materials. – Use the Llibrary Online Catalog, or Worldcat.
  4. FIND papers that cite a key reference. Use Web of Knowledge to do a cited reference search
  5. STAY CURRENT with newly-published research. Set up alerts using indexes and publishers\’ web sites to have new citations emailed to you automatically – Ebsco, ScienceDirect, Web of Knowledge, etc.
  6. Use the available OFF CAMPUS ACCESS to the Library\’s electronic resources.
  7. BUILD your own DATABASE or BIBLIOGRAPHY of citations and references. Use EndNote to manage references, pdfs and images & automatically format them for papers and theses.
  8. Use our RESEARCH/SUBJECT GUIDES to find the best place to locate information about a subject or topic
  9. BORROW materials that Tarleton does not own. Use ILLIAD our Interlibrary Loan Service
  10. RENEW and TRACK the books you have borrowed from the library using the Library Online Catalog.

Time Management

Are you having trouble with time management? Would you like some pointers on organizing yourself? While David Allen\’s site on Getting Things Done offers individual or corporate coaching services, there is also plenty to be learned for free! One favorite tip is if a task takes two minutes or less, get off the couch, and DO IT.

Another personal favorite is a weekly plan. Make a two-column file. On the left side write your plans for the week, and on the right side write what you did. Add to the to-do side as things come up during the week. Move undone todos to the following week.

If you have *time* to get into this into more depth, the library has books! Use subject headings such as \’Personal Information Management\’ or \’Time Management\’. Be sure and use the dropdown list and select \’Subject\’–it will save you….time.

Note to instructors: the Student Counseling Center gives presentations on Time Management and the library gives presentations on Research Time-Savers (contact Yvonne Mulhern at X9934).

Share YOUR favorite tips!

Facebook & Privacy: Using One & Protecting the Other

We\’ve all read or heard stories about the many ways Facebook postings have created social, professional, and economic havoc for people. Usually this causes us to wonder how we can avoid the same consequences.

One source of help is Tarleton\’s Career Services, which offers \”Cleaning Up Your Digital Dirt\” presentations. You can get more information by visiting Career Services (TSC 218) or calling their office (254-968-9078).

Another source of information is Nick O\’Neill\’s 2-2-09 article \”10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know\” on AllFacebook (The Unofficial Facebook Resource). In this article, O’Neill offers a how-to guide for protecting your privacy on Facebook by controlling access to information.

A third source is the \”Social Networks & Privacy\” post on LOL, which offers links to articles about Facebook, employers, and employment.

Happy Library Lovers Day!


Every year since 2001 the Library has celebrated Valentine\’s Day as Library Lovers Day. This year because of the weekend, we are celebrating TODAY February 13th! We invite you to visit the Library and show your support. Come get your Library Lover\’s button and your candy!

HAPPY LIBRARY LOVERS DAY!

Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

(clipping from February 14, 1956 J-TAC)
Valentines\’ Day at Tarleton

The brother and sister social clubs, D.S.T. and Los Cabelleros, held their first Valentine Dance in 1947. The social clubs thrived until the arrival of the Greek fraternities and sororities in the mid 1980s. The 1947 Grassburr states:
\”Many of the most representative, hard-working girls on the campus represent the D.S.T.s. They work on the JTAC, Grassburr, A.W.S., and T.T.S. They all work for Tarleton. In February they entertained with an all-club Valentine Presentation Ball. Organized in 1938 this club has grown to be one of the best girls clubs on the campus. With their brother club, the Los Caballeros, the D.S.T.’s promote a feeling of friendship on the campus.”

The 1947 Grassburr also states:

\”The motto of the Los Caballeros might well be \’friendship and progress in the social life of Tarleton.\’ Sponsors of the first \’tag club dance\’ in Tarleton’s history, its members are ever on the lookout for new ideas. They have proved themselves to be among the students that make Tarleton what it is. They are the brother club of the D.S.T.”

The D.S.T. and Los Cabbs also attended church services together several times a year. Miss Lola Rivers Thompson, former Head of the Tarleton Library, was the D.S.T. sponsor in 1945-46.

Happy Valentines\’ Day!

Lincoln Birthday Bicentennial

Tomorrow, February 12, is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States, from 1861 through his untimely assassination in April 1865. The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission has put together a website that collects information on events across the country honoring this occasion, as well as an “Honest Abe Quiz,” data on Lincoln, and even teacher resources.

The Library of Congress in Washington, DC, opens a new exhibit on the 12th called With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition. It will include on-site exhibits with online features, with some Lincoln-related artifacts available digitally, at on-site kiosks as well as on the Library’s website.

There’s even a blog about Lincoln and food! Author Rae Katherine Eighmey spent three years researching Lincoln’s eating habits and food interests for an upcoming book. Her blog, What Lincoln Enjoyed Eating, will run for 10 weeks, from Lincoln’s 200th birthday to the anniversary of his assassination, featuring authentic recipes with historical background, adapted for modern kitchens.

The photo above is of Lincoln during his presidential campaign in August 1860, thought to be the last photograph of him without a beard. It is from the Library of Congress Flickr collection — their complete set of Lincoln photos is here.

Top Ten Tuesday – Valentines Gifts

It Tuesday again, and this is Valentine\’s Week. I thought I would give you a list of the Top Ten (or 13) gifts to give your loved one. Because the first three items are on everyone lists already and because they mainly work as gifts for women, I\’ve given you a few extra ideas. Many of these gifts will work for either a girl or a guy.

  • Jewelry – Make sure to choose the best jewelry that will match their personality.
  • Roses – Traditional, a bouquet of roses are timeless.
  • Chocolates – This is still one of the favorite gifts.

  • Perfume/Cologne – You won\’t go wrong if you choose a favorite fragrance.
  • iPod – This is one of the coolest gadgets that anyone would love. Give them the latest.
  • Watches – Novelty and stunning watches are also good picks for a valentines gift.
  • Cell Phone – Get them the latest and trendiest cell phone to keep your communication line open.
  • Digital Camera – Save those magical moments of your time spent together with this gadget.
  • Laptop – Laptops are very popular nowadays. Everyone needs one.
  • Lingerie – Surprise her with sexy lingerie that both of you will definitely appreciate.
  • Book – A good book will definitely make a good valentine gift.
  • Weekend getaway –A gift that the two of you will enjoy is a trip ticket to a favorite destination. Spend quality time with your beloved and just cherish the moment.
  • Gift card – A gift card is among the top gifts because you are giving freedom to choose and buy what they want.

I hope this list is helpful! Enjoy your Valentine\’s Day!

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