New Dimensions Media records, 1968-2016

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Summary

Title:
New Dimensions Media records
Dates:
1968-2016
Creators:
New Dimensions Foundation, Abbey, Edward, 1927-1989, Allende, Isabel, Angelou, Maya, Argüelles, José, 1939-2011, Argüelles, Miriam, 1943-, Asawa, Ruth, Bedi, Freda, 1911-1977, Benjamin, Medea, 1952-, Berg, Peter, 1937-2011, Berrigan, Daniel, Berry, Wendell, 1934-, Blum, Arlene, 1945-, Bly, Robert., Bohm, David, 1917-1992, Bolen, Jean Shinoda, Brand, Stewart, Branden, Nathaniel, Brezsny, Rob, Brower, David, 1912-2000, Brown, Jerry, 1938-, Catalfo, Phil, Callenbach, Ernest, Campbell, Joseph, 1904-1987, Capra, Fritjof, Carlebach, Shlomo, 1925-1994, Carter, Jimmy, 1924-2024, Castaneda, Carlos, 1931-2008, Chang, Iris, 1968-2004, Chaudhuri, Haridas, Coyote, Peter., Bstan-ʼdzin-rgya-mtsho, Dalai Lama XIV, 1935-, Dellums, Ronald V., 1935-2018, Drolma, Palden, Lama, 1952-, Ehrlich, Paul R., Erlich, Reese, 1947-2021, Ellsberg, Daniel., Erhard, Werner, 1936-, Fadiman, Dorothy, Fadiman, James, 1939-, Feldenkrais, Moshé, 1904-1984, Fuller, Robert W. (Robert Works), 1936-, Fuller, R. Buckminster (Richard Buckminster), Garfield, Charles A., Gaskin, Stephen, Gaskin, Ina May, Geller, Uri, 1946-, Ginsberg, Allen, 1926-1997., Goodall, Jane, 1934-2025, Grof, Stanislav, 1931-, Halprin, Anna, Hart, Mickey, Hill, Julia Butterfly, Hills, Christopher B., Hofmann, Albert, 1906-2008, Houston, Jean, Huang, Al Chung-liang, Hubbard, Barbara Marx, 1929-2019, Huxley, Huxley, Laura Archera, Iasos, 1947-, Jarrett, Keith, Jones, Bill T., Keen, Sam, Keillor, Garrison, Keleman, Stanley, Krassner, Paul, LaChapelle, Dolores, Lappé, Frances Moore, Leary, Timothy, 1920-1996, Leboyer, Frédérick, Leonard, George, 1923-2010, Lerner, Michael, 1943-2024, Lilly, John Cunningham, 1915-2001, Mander, Jerry, McCarthy, Eugene J., 1916-2005, McClure, Michael, McKenna, Terrence, Means, Russell, 1939-2012, Medicine Eagle, Brooke, Metzner, Ralph, Mishlove, Jeffrey, 1946-, Moyers, Bill, 1934-2025, Naranjo, Claudio, Needleman, Jacob, Near, Holly, Nhất Hạnh, Thích, Nisker, Wes, Noffke, Will, 1929-1997, Nordine, Ken, Oyle, Irving, 1925-, Pauling, Linus, 1901-1994, Pike, Diane Kennedy, Pollan, Michael, Prophet, Elizabeth Clare, Ram Dass, Raymond, Dick (Richard Harrington), Rheingold, Howard., Richards, Mary Caroline, Rogin, Neil, Roszak, Theodore, 1933-2011, Roth, Gabrielle, 1941-, Rubin, Jerry, Rudhyar, Dane, 1895-1985, Schachter-Shalomi, Zalman, 1924-2014, Schumacher, E.F. (Ernst Friedrich), 1911-1977, Schwarz, Jack, 1924-, Schweickart, Rusty, Sheldrake, Rupert, Sherk, Bonnie Ora, 1945-2021, Smith, David E. (David Elvin), 1939-, Smith, Huston, Sogya, Rinpoche, Spangler, David, 1945-, Snyder, Gary, 1930-, Soleri, Paolo, 1919-2013, Solnit, Rebecca, Steinem, Gloria, Sun, Patricia, Suzuki, David, 1936-, Tart, Charles T., 1937-, Tendzin, Ösel, 1943-, Terkel, Studs, Tolle, Eckhart, 1048-, Toms, Justine Willis, Toms, Michael, Tompkins, Douglas, Trungpa, Chögyam, 1939-1987, Van der Post, Laurens, Walker, Alice 1944-, Wallace, David Rains, 1945-, Watts, Alan , 1915-1973, Wavy Gravy, Williams, Cecil, 1929-, Wilson, Colin, 1931-2013, Wilson, Robert Anton, 1932-2007, Winter, Paul, and Wolf, Fred Alan
Abstract:
Recordings and files from long-running radio program New Dimensions Radio, along with recordings of related programming.
Extent:
640 Linear Feet (6600 audiovisual elements, 66 feet of paper records) and 281.2 gigabyte(s) born-digital materials (including reformatted optical media) through accession 2025-222
Language:
English .

Background

Scope and content:

570 linear feet of media (the majority about 6600 quarter-inch audio tapes) and 66 linear feet of archival records, including organizational files, resource files, press/promotional and mailings, photographs and slides, NEW DIMENSIONS JOURNAL and NEWSLETTER, and business records.

The collection holds approximately 7000 hours of recordings, mostly audio on tape, audiocassette, minidisc, DAT, CD-R, and digital, as well as few video recordings. Many of the original tapes are stored "pancake" style; meaning without hubs. In some cases these tapes are difficult to play back due to degradation and unspooling. However, Stanford is making digital copies available as we proceed through the collection. New Dimensions has also edited and distributed versions of older programs and their original source recordings; these are also held and documented in the archive.

Later accessions including digital files are not described in this guide; however these are by and large accessible in our library catalog with full metadata.

A downloadable spreadsheet version of the legacy media described in this guide is available here: https://purl.stanford.edu/cm051yv6892

Biographical / historical:

The New Dimensions Foundation is an independent, listener supported, educational broadcasting group based in Ukiah, California. Their most reknowned program, New Dimensions Radio, began in 1973 in the San Francisco Bay Area on stations such as KPFA and KQED.

New Dimensions might be superficially described as about new age philosophy and self-help; as their website says, "Our purpose is to share knowledge that has the potential to deepen our connections to self, family, community, planet and the natural world. We encourage public awareness of various approaches towards creating a world that works for everyone." The majority of programs focus on religion, spirituality, and physical and mental health, but topics are as varied as economics, science, ecology, media, peace activism, the men's movement, feminism, sexuality, as well as music, art, writing, and creativity.

Almost all the recordings are either programs or the material that went into their production. However, some tapes contain multiple programs or air check excerpts (some of which are unrelated). Some recordings are programs edited for retail, and many are distribution copies for various stations or markets.

There are several tapes devoted to conference proceedings, lectures and talks which may never have been broadcast, as well as some published talks and music.

Acquisition information:
Gifts and purchases from New Dimensions.
Arrangement:

The first series consists of the foundations' paper records. The remaining series contain media recordings of New Dimensions and other programs.

Most recordings were initially described based on writing on the media themselves; additional information has been added whenever probable. However, it is very likely that some of this extrapolation is incorrect and will require checking against the sound file. This especially applies to dates, program titles and numbers, and participants. Names have been normalized in some cases. Also, the names of participants do not necessarily occur in order of relevance, nor in order of appearance. Programs, especially in the earlier years, are often a mix of pre-recorded and live-in-studio interviews and lectures. The "host" field also includes named interviewers on these source recordings.

New Dimensions assigned numbers to various programs, and in some cases renumbered them in subsequent broadcasts. Some content was repurposed for different programs; distinguishing produced programs from original interview recordings is not always clear from a visual review. However, program numbers were included when known or likely associated with content.

Some programs listed in Series 3 ("Other programs and series") are also partially numbered as ND programs (i.e. Bioneers, Fetzer, Loving & Free, Voices & Visions, New Horizons) and thus are not necessarily complete lists of available programs. However, searching for these series should yield all relevant titles.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Malgorzata Schaefer Franz Kunst
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-11-05 15:02:01 -0800 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use. Audiovisual materials are not available in original format, and must be reformatted to a digital use copy. Selected audio has been reformatted and is accessible via SearchWorks: https://searchworks.stanford.edu/catalog?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=6976115.

Terms of access:

While Special Collections is the owner of the physical items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/spc/using-collections/permission-publish

Location of this collection:
Department of Special Collections, Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford, CA 94305-6004, US
Contact:
(650) 725-1022
specialcollections@stanford.edu
Website