Dave’s Night Out – Lehigh University Archivists Edition! A Discussion, Show, Tell, and Listen About the Ongoing Preservation of Godfrey Daniels History and Digital Music Archives

Dave’s Night Out returns with a special Archivists Edition featuring the librarians from the Archives and Special Collections at Lehigh University’s Linderman Library. As part of the Godfrey Daniels 50th Anniversary Season, the evening explores the ongoing work to preserve and digitize the venue’s history — including decades of concert recordings, posters, and memorabilia that capture the story of one of the region’s most influential folk music spaces.

Through conversation, show-and-tell-and-listen moments from the archives, and a few songs and stories from Dave Fry, the night offers a rare look behind the scenes of how Godfrey Daniels’ legacy is being documented and shared. In the venue’s signature Live Music Listening Room setting, it’s an opportunity to connect the music, memories, and community that have shaped South Bethlehem for the past 50 years.



Dave’s Night Out is a monthly recurring series at Godfrey Daniels, curated by Dave Fry. Join us monthly for a delightful blend of music, humor, and thought-provoking conversations between Dave and his guests.

Intro to Lehigh Involvement

The Lehigh Libraries got involved with Godfrey Daniels starting with a Mid-Atlantic Archives Conference in fall 2011 following a session focused on folk music. After realizing the value of having a historically prominent folk music venue next door to Lehigh, Special Collections librarians approached Dave Fry about preserving the venue's history. This became part of a larger effort to collect and archive the cultural and creative activities of South Bethlehem. Dave was receptive to the idea and began organizing and transferring Godfrey's historical materials. As Lehigh received the physical collections, we have worked to digitize the most important parts such as the monthly event posters and concert recordings. The posters are now available freely online through the Lehigh Libraries' digital repository The Preserve, and the audio recordings are available to on-campus users. Lehigh continues to partner with Godfrey Daniels to periodically collect new material.

The Lehigh Libraries got involved with Godfrey Daniels starting with a Mid-Atlantic Archives Conference in fall 2011 following a session focused on folk music. After realizing the value of having a historically prominent folk music venue next door to Lehigh, Special Collections librarians approached Dave Fry about preserving the venue's history. This became part of a larger effort to collect and archive the cultural and creative activities of South Bethlehem. Dave was receptive to the idea and began organizing and transferring Godfrey's historical materials. As Lehigh received the physical collections, we have worked to digitize the most important parts such as the monthly event posters and concert recordings. The posters are now available freely online through the Lehigh Libraries' digital repository The Preserve, and the audio recordings are available to on-campus users. Lehigh continues to partner with Godfrey Daniels to periodically collect new material.

Ilhan Citak Bio

Ilhan Citak is the Archives and Special Collections Librarian at Lehigh University, where he and his colleagues have been dedicated to preserving the cultural and artistic heritage of the South Bethlehem and Lehigh Valley community. He is also a short story writer and poet as well as a board member of the Lower Saucon Historical Society. He and his colleagues are committed to preserving the unique history of the Lehigh Valley, ensuring the artifacts and stories of our past—from industrial records to community landmarks—remain accessible for the future. Ilhan is a native of Turkey and he has a library and information science master's degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

Alex Japha Bio

Alex Japha has been with Lehigh Libraries Special Collection since 2016 and in his current role as Digital Archives and Special Collections Librarian since 2022. In this position, Alex is responsible for managing the Lehigh Preserve digital repository, managing Special Collections' digitization efforts, overseeing student assistants, and assisting with library exhibitions. He currently lives in Emmaus, PA and is originally from Stamford, CT. Prior to arriving at Lehigh, Alex studied and worked at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and at the University of Virginia.