The Sherwood Community Music School at Columbia College Chicago began as the Sherwood Music School in 1895 and was a degree-granting institution for musicians, a hub for the students of music distance education, and a community music school offering lessons and programs for musicians of all ages. The collection strength lies in its institutional records of the Sherwood Music School from 1906 to 2011; the entire collection dates from 1875 to 2011 in 46.0 cubic feet (58 boxes).

William "Bill" Russo (1928-2003) was a composer, conductor, musician, teacher, and author of Chicago, Illinois. Additionally, Russo was the founder of the Chicago Jazz Ensemble at Columbia College Chicago, the founder and Director of Chicago Free Theater, and the director of High School Jazz Festival. The bulk of this Collection includes scores composed by Russo and audiovisual materials.