Lurleen B. Wallace Community College now offers the Dige Bishop Listening Center as part of the Andalusia campus library and features a vast collection of donated vinyl records.

Ivan Bishop and Linda Brent recently donated their father’s record collection to be enjoyed by the community, said LBWCC President Dr. Herb Riedel.

“We are honored to accept this record collection in our library for the enjoyment of the entire community,” he said.

The collection includes a total of 1,219 records covering a vast assortment of musical tastes, said Ivan Bishop.

“My sister and I are happy to donate these records to LBW on our father’s behalf. The College is a great asset to our community.”

Dige Bishop moved to Andalusia in 1946 and opened a radio station. He was active in the community, including being among the leaders who helped develop the plan to create a local college.

The recent donation by the Bishop siblings to the college resulted from a 30-year accumulation of the radio station’s promotional records.

In addition to owning the radio station, which sold in 1976, he said his father was also a talented musician on piano, trumpet, and saxophone.

“He dedicated over 40 years of his musical talents to the men’s Bible class at the Methodist Church,” he said, and was still a great piano player until the time of his death in 2015 at the age of 102.

The Bishop legacy at LBWCC also includes the funding of the Jeff Bishop Student Center in Andalusia, as well as financial scholarships for students established through the LBWCC Foundation.

The Dige Bishop Listening Center is available for use by the public. For more information, call 334-881-2265.