Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs about Smithsonian Folkways

If you do not find the answer to your question below, please call our customer service line during our office hours at 1-888-FOLKWAYS or 1-202-633-6450.

What is Smithsonian Folkways Recordings?
What is a Custom CD?
Does Folkways still make LPs and/or cassettes?
Can I digitally download tracks from your catalog?
Do you have print catalogues? How can I get one?
Where do I send checks? To whom should they be made out?
Do you ship to P.O. Boxes?
What are your shipping rates?
Do you ship internationally? What are the rates?
How soon will I get my order? (domestic and int'l)
What is your returns and exchange policy?
Are there benefits for Smithsonian Members?
Do you offer discounts for retail shops, educational organizations, or distributors?
Do you have gift certificates?
Do you have a store? What museums carry your products?
What is Smithsonian Collection of Recordings?
Do you carry the Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz, Big Band Box Set, or Folk Music Box?
How do I find out about the Smithsonian, museum hours, etc?
What is the Smithsonian Folklife Festival?
What are your office hours?
Do you sign new artists?
Why do you charge for recordings? Isn't the Smithsonian a public institution?
How can I support Smithsonian Folkways Recordings?
I want to use part of a Smithsonian Folkways recording in my own published project (such as a compilation CD, film, or website).
How does Smithsonian Folkways compensate artists?
What if I think I am due royalties?

What is Smithsonian Folkways Recordings?

Folkways Records was founded in 1948 in New York City by Moses Asch and Marian Distler. Under Asch's enthusiastic and dedicated direction, Folkways sought to record and document the entire world of sound. Between 1948 and Asch's death in 1986, Folkways' tiny staff released 2,168 albums. Topics included traditional, ethnic, and contemporary music from around the world; poetry, spoken word, and instructional recordings in numerous languages; and documentary recordings of individuals, communities, current events, and natural sounds.

In 1988 the Smithsonian Institution Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in Washington, D.C., acquired Folkways Records & Service Corp. as well as the label's business papers and files in order to ensure that the sounds and genius of its artists and compilers would continue to be available to future generations.

In the years since 1987, Smithsonian Folkways has continued to expand on Asch's legacy, adding several other record labels to the collections and releasing over 300 new recordings that document and celebrate the sounds of the world around us.

What is a Custom CD?

Smithsonian Folkways commercial releases are available in retail stores or may be ordered through this website or by phone. However, older, less frequently requested titles are handled as "Custom" orders.

When you order a Custom CD, a high-quality CD-R is produced here at the Smithsonian from our archival collection. Custom titles are available only through Smithsonian Folkways Mail Order via phone, fax, or our website. (Custom titles can also be produced as cassette tapes.) Please allow 2-3 business days for Custom CD orders to ship. Custom titles are sold with a digital copy of the album's orginal liner notes on the CD.

Does Folkways still make LPs and/or cassettes?

We have a limited number of LPs that are not currently for sale on the website. All custom made recordings are also available on cassettes. Many commercial titles are available on cassette, but new releases are not. Please also contact customer service at 1-888-FOLKWAYS or smithsonianfolkways@si.edu with any inquiries.

Can I digitally download recordings from your catalog?

Albums and tracks are available for purchase and download on this website and also from other digital music stores, including iTunes, eMusic, Amazon.com, Rhapsody, Napster, and Classical.com.

Purchasing a track does not automatically deliver it to your hard drive. Within 72 hours of making your purchase, you must click on the link provided via email or on the checkout screen to download your tracks, otherwise your downloads will no longer be available. If you no longer have access to the download link, please contact us via email at smithsonianfolkways@si.edu.

Downloading from Smithsonian Folkways is like downloading any other file onto your computer. At the download manager screen, point your mouse to the format you wish to download--MP3 or FLAC. Right click (or or control-click on Mac) and choose to Save File As (some operating systems may ask you to Save Target As or Download File As). You can name the file as you wish. Be sure to remember where you are saving it, because you will have to find it later. We recommend saving the file to your desktop or creating a special folder for Smithsonian Folkways downloads. If you purchased an entire album, you will download it as a zip file, which includes all songs, the cover art (as a .JPG file) and the liner notes (as a PDF file). Use a compression software program (such as WinZip or StuffIt) to expand the contents of your .zip file. If you purchased individual tracks, you will download each song individuall as a MP3 or FLAC file.

Once your track download is saved to your hard drive, double click the file and it should open in your computer's default media player (such as Windows Media Player, Winamp, iTunes, or Music Match). Or right click on the file (or your computer's equivalent), choose Open, and select the program you wish to play your file with.You may need to download a media player if you do not already have one installed.

Tracks downloaded from Smithsonian Folkways are not limited to any one media player or portable music device. You can open and play them in any digital media player, burn CDs, and transfer your tracks to any portable music device that supports MP3s of FLAC. Please refer to your specified media player or portable music device for further instructions.

FLAC stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec. FLAC is similar to MP3, but it is lossless, meaning that audio is compressed in the file without any loss in quality. With FLAC you will get much better compression because it is designed specifically for audio. It is supported by most operating systems. You can burn FLAC to a CD, play it in any stereo, and transfer it to a number of portable music devices. See http://flac.sourceforge.net for more information and software downloads for Windows, Mac and Linux.

Since some of our tracks are of considerable length, download prices vary by length of track:

- up to 5 minutes - $.99
- at least 5 but less than 15 minutes - $1.49
- 15 or over minutes - $3.49

Do you have print catalogues? How can I get one?

Yes. Our 2007/2008 Smithsonian Folkways Catalogue is available upon request. A catalogue of our archival holdings is available as a PDF file. Visit here.

Where do I send checks? To whom should they be made out?

Please make out all checks to Smithsonian Folkways. Specify your shipping address, quantity of order, catalog number of items and format (cassette/CD). All checks should be sent to:
Smithsonian Folkways
PO Box 37012, MRC 520, CG 2001
Washington, DC, 20013-7012

Do you ship to P.O. Boxes?

While our shipments are routinely are handled by FedEx, requiring a physical streed address for delivery, we can also ship to P.O. Boxes via first class mail. If a package requires overnight or expedited shipping, FedEx will be used.

What are your shipping rates?

Orders within the U.S. ship via Federal Express or 1st class mail. Rates are calculated at time of order depending on destination and weight.

Do you ship internationally? What are the rates?

International orders are shipped via United States Postal Service International or FedEx International Economy. You may choose your preferred method during checkout. Please pay by credit card (Mastercard / Visa / Discover/American Express). Credit cards will be charged for actual shipping costs plus a (U.S.) $1.50 handling fee. Other shipping options are available on request.

How soon will I get my order? (domestic and international)

Orders usually ship within 2-3 business days. We also offer overnight deliever for an additional fee, calculated at the time of checkout.

What is your returns and exchange policy?

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings does not accept exchanges or returns on any of its items. In the rare instance you receive a defective item or an item different than the one you ordered, we will gladly replace it free of charge. Please return all defective and mis-shipped items and please include a return address and the original invoice number with the item(s).

Are there benefits for Smithsonian Members?

Smithsonian Members receive a 10% discount on all Folkways recordings. To learn more about becoming a Smithsonian Member, please click here.

Do you offer discounts for retail shops, educational organizations, or distributors?

Yes. We offer a 15% discount for all CD, DVD, and book orders over $150. We also offer discounts for wholesale distribution - to set up a retail or distribution account, click here. If you are a library, visit here for more information on opportunities to partner with Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Do you have gift certificates?

We currently offer gift certificates in denominations of $25, $50, $75 and $100. You must call 1-888-FOLKWAYS or 1-202-633-6450 to purchase a gift certificate at this time. Join our monthly email list to find out when they are available directly from our website.

Do you have a store? What museums carry your products?

Smithsonian Folkways is a direct mail order business; however, retailers throughout the country carry Smithsonian Folkways products. The Smithsonian museum shops in Washington, D.C. and New York also carry a number of our recordings.

Our recordings are also available for download online from our website and online retailers such as iTunes, eMusic, Amazon.com, and Classical.com.

What is Smithsonian Collection of Recordings?

The Smithsonian Books and Recordings division, which carried many popular titles such as the SI Collection of Classic Jazz, Big Band Box Set, and Folk Music Box Set, ceased operations in 1998.

Do you carry the Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz, Big Band Box Set, or Folk Music Box?

At the present time Smithsonian Folkways does not offer these titles. We are working on a newly revised edition of the Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz to be available in the 2nd half of 2009.

How do I find out about the Smithsonian Institution, museums hours, etc?

Please visit the Smithsonian Institution's website at www.si.edu

What is the Smithsonian Folklife Festival?

Each summer, the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the divison within which Smithsonian Folkways operates, presents a major, multi-week free festival celebrating traditional culture on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. For infomation on the Festival, its history, and its schedule for the coming year, visit www.folklife.si.edu.

What are your office hours?

Our office hours are 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. EST. However, you can place an order 24 hours a day, 7 days a week within the USA by calling our toll free numbers 1-888-FOLKWAYS or 1-202-633-6450.

Do you sign new artists?

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings does not "sign new artists," in that it does not seek exclusive contracts to record singular artists, support their touring activities, promote their careers, and so forth, as do most commercial record labels. Most of our recordings are connected to our nonprofit mission and consequently to broader aims of making our existing audio collections more accessible, collaborating on larger efforts such as the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and addressing the specific need to offer greater visibility to musical traditions that might be underrepresented in the marketplace. Folkways specializes in traditional and roots music, and most, if not all, of the small number of new artists whose recordings we publish each year are identified through Smithsonian fieldwork and research projects.

While Folkways appreciates artists thinking of us, we have neither the staff or the facilities to review unsolicited sample CDs or tapes, and discourage their submission.

Why do you charge for recordings? Isn't the Smithsonian a public insitution?

The non-profit Smithsonian Folkways Recordings label is funded from sales of recordings and the occasional grant from a foundation, corporation or individual. We use neither taxpayer nor Smithsonian Trust funds for our label's business operations.

With the acquisiton of the Folkways and other record labels' master recordings and related materials, the Smithsonian took on the job of accounting and paying royalties to many persons and organizations around the globe, since much of the material is protected by copyright under U.S. law. We are proud of our fair royalty system, which supports artists (and heirs) in their communities and sustains the dynamic creative practices that foster cultural diversity.

The costs of running an operation like ours are significant, since many of our publications are chosen for how well they further our non-profit mission rather than commercial appeal. Please support Smithsonian Folkways by purchasing our recordings or making a tax-deductible donation.

How can I support Smithsonian Folkways Recordings?

We are based in the U.S. national museum, but rely mainly on revenues, grants, private donations, and good will to survive and to carry out our non-profit mission. Please continue to buy our recordings, as sales revenues support our ongoing work. For information on making a financial contribution or volunteering your assistance, please visit here.

I want to use part of a Smithsonian Folkways recording in my own published project (such as a compilation CD, film, or website).

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings owns and controls the rights to virtually all the master recordings in its collection. Smithsonian Institution does not control rights to the music compositions themselves, which are typically administered by music publishers. For permission to use our sound recordings, see our information on Licensing Requests.

How does Smithsonian Folkways compensate artists?

Artists are compensated at an established royalty rate. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, which established a royalty reform policy when it acquired Folkways Records in the late 1980s, pays royalties at rates that are, in most cases, more favorable than the royalty-reform rates that major labels instituted.

What if I think I am due royalties?

With more than 35,000 recordings on 3000 albums dating back more than a half-century, locating artists and heirs is a challenge. If you are a Folkways artist, or rightful heir, and you are not already receiving semiannual royalties from Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, please contact royalty manager Margot Nassau, nassaum@si.edu.