{"value"=>"<p>The audiocassettes are recordings of readings and the occasional panel discussion at Books & Co. between 1991 and 1997. (Though readings were a featured event at the store as early as 1980, according to Watson, they were not recorded prior to 1991.) Over 100 works were recorded on 79 audiocassettes. Most of the readings feature one author, though several do include two. Several special events, such as a celebration of a specific publishing house or benefit for a particular cause, feature multiple authors or readers. Descriptive entries capture the name of each author and the title of the book from which the author read. If a poet read from a collection of poems, titles of individual works are often, but not always, captured. Most of the readings were under 30 minutes in length, but several do last longer or include audience discussion and questions for the author, requiring the use of the second side of the cassette. These instances are noted in the audiocassette database description (see Appendix B). An alphabetical listing of recorded events and authors, with the date of the event, is found in Appendix A. A chronological listing of readings and events, which includes authors, event title (if a special event), book title, and publisher is included in Appendix E. (Please note that not all of the events between 1991 and 1997 at Books & Co. were recorded.)</p> <p>The eight videocassettes include recordings of NBC, CNBC, and NY1 News television reports which involved Books & Co. as the subject of the report, either regarding the closing of the bookstore, or in discussing the effect of cyber bookstores and super-bookstores on the business of independent shops. Other clips include a \"CBS News Sunday Morning\" report by Charles Kuralt interviewing author/painter Russell Chatham, a friend and reader at Books & Co.; an interview with famed French actress Jeanne Moreau (whom Watson refers to as her \"personal goddess\") speaking about her love of literature and her fondness for Books & Co., which was filmed in the shop, (recorded in French, no English translation available); an interview of Jeannette Watson on the evening of the final reading at Books & Co. (May 15, 1997); and a recording of Watson receiving an award from the New York Society Library, on April 23, 1997, from NYSL Board Chairman William Dean. This clip also includes her acceptance speech and a toast by Brendan Gill.</p>"}