Music Library Association Technical Reports – serie

This guide, a supplement to the ALA's Guide for Written Collection Policy Statements, is meant to assist librarians, both music specialists and generalists, who are responsible for writing collection development policies for music collections in academic, conservatory, and public libraries. It includes a checklist for writing a collection development policy, an outline of elements with examples from actual collections, and an example of a complete collection development policy.

Fourteen authors explore the recent past, the present, and the future of music librarianship through an examination of topics of importance to the profession: collection development, preservation, cataloging, technology, copyright, reference, reference sources, user education, music publishing, sound recordings, the antiquarian music market, archives, and education for music librarianship. First published in the quarterly journal Notes, these essays reflect the views of today's professionals at the fin de siècle. The set of essays is framed by a foreword and afterword by editor Richard Griscom.

This guide, a supplement to the ALA's Guide for Written Collection Policy Statements, is meant to assist librarians, both music specialists and generalists, who are responsible for writing collection development policies for music collections in academic, conservatory, and public libraries. It includes a checklist for writing a collection development policy, an outline of elements with examples from actual collections, and an example of a complete collection development policy.

The late twentieth-century brought significant changes in the way music is marketed, consumed, taught, and studied. These changes have had a natural effect on the ways that libraries serve their music-loving populations. This resource examines the profession as it responds to these changes, without losing sight of the human element within it in a collection of essays that provide a practical introduction to the profession of music librarianship, and a survey of current professional philosophies and practices. Topics include: preparing for the field, mid-career options, professional organizations that support the work of music librarians, the music librarian of the future, and thoughts on the value of the work that music librarians do.Music librarians informally describe their day-to-day activities, from maintaining the musical scores for large performing organizations to creating public programs. Speaking with enthusiasm for their chosen profession, these librarians represent a group of professionals that enjoy a special relationship with the materials they work with and the people they serve. A necessary resource for aspiring music librarians, as well as established music librarians looking for a dose of inspiration and current information on the state of their profession.

In a library catalog, uniform titles function to bring together, under one unique heading, all variant manifestations of a musical work. They help to collocate various forms of music, such as printed music, sound recordings, arrangements, and translations, and aid in distinguishing between different musical works with similar or identical titles. Establishing music uniform titles may be the most complex and difficult aspect of music cataloging, even for the cataloger with a strong background in music.Uniform Titles for Music explains the concept and practice of uniform titles for musical works by a single composer and works of unknown or collective authorship, and it provides a step-by-step approach to establishing uniform titles. Michelle Koth explains the concept of a "type of composition," the process by which a title is determined to be generic or distinctive, and what further elements may be needed to uniquely identify a work represented by a uniform title. Several chapters are devoted to defining and explaining these further elements, such as medium of performance, identifying numbers, and key. The chapters closely follow the structure of Anglo American Cataloguing Rules, 2nd ed. (AACR2), Chapter 25, with some re-ordering to allow the reader to progress from generic uniform titles to distinctive titles. Three appendixes provide a list of composers' thematic index numbers, a comparison of uniform titles for music and Library of Congress subject headings, and a bibliography of resources for authority work. Uniform Titles for Music is aimed at all levels of music cataloger, from the fresh out of library school beginner to the experienced cataloger who wants a refresher.

Library music materials require a more complex shelflisting approach than books in order to account for extremely prolific composers, works with generic titles, opus numbers, and thematic index numbers. Shelflisting Music provides clear, straightforward instructions and flowcharts to guide the cataloger through the process of shelflisting music—whether in score or recorded format—enabling anyone to produce call numbers that are consistent, accurate, and in accordance with standard Library of Congress "M" classification practices.After a brief explanation of the conceptual basis of music shelflisting, Richard P. Smiraglia brings together and clarifies shelflisting practices that are otherwise difficult to find or understand, providing concise and easy-to-follow instructions for assigning shelflist numbers. Smiraglia also includes a glossary of terms, as well as flowcharts to illustrate the process graphically. This small, easily accessible book can be kept by a computer workstation and consulted quickly for shelflisting guidance by anyone who catalogs music materials, from novices to experts.

This book covers the proceedings of the March 1985 Music Library Association Preconference.

Addresses the processes and considerations involved in the renovation, reorganization, and creation of music library facilities.

Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of a library collection is an essential component in the collection management process. Collection Assessment in Music Libraries is a compilation of papers that present an overview of current approaches to and concerns about collection assessment for music libraries. This report should be part of the working collection available to all music librarians and collection management officers.Edited and introduced by Jane Gottlieb, the book contains articles by Peggy Daub ("The RLG Conspectus: Its History and Applications"), Elizabeth Davis ("Guidelines of Evaluating Music Collections as Part of a Regional Assessment Plan"), Sherry Vellucci ("Technology for Collection Evaluation: Amigos and Other Tools"), and Lenore Coral ("Evaluating the Conspectus Approach: Problems and Alternatives"). An extensive bibliography is included. Understanding and utilization of the methodologies available to evaluate music collections will better insure that libraries fulfill their mission of meeting users' needs.

Tackles the difficult problem of preservation of music in all of its formats—scores, parts, and all types of recordings.

A guide for catalogers in all types of libraries who work with videos and films of musical performances and presentations. The guide addresses the cataloging of videos and films of multifaceted performances and presentations where music is an important component of the production (such as ballet performances) as well as videos and films of musical performances per se. Both descriptive cataloging, based on AACR2 and LCRIs, and subject cataloging, based primarily on LCSH, are treated in detail.Forty-two examples of bibliographic records appear in MARC format. Every example includes an LC classification number, LC subject headings, and genre terms from Moving Image Materials: Genre Terms.The guide was a project of the Music Library Association's Working Group on Bibliographic Control of Music Video Material, consisting of five experienced music and audiovisual materials catalogers, with input from numerous individuals and organizations interested in the cataloging of moving image media and music. The Working Group was chaired by Lowell Ashley, Principal Cataloger at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Library music materials require a more complex shelflisting approach than books in order to account for extremely prolific composers, works with generic titles, opus numbers, and thematic index numbers. Shelflisting Music provides clear, straightforward instructions and flowcharts to guide the cataloger through the process of shelflisting music-whether in score or recorded format-enabling anyone to produce call numbers that are consistent, accurate, and in accordance with standard Library of Congress "M" classification practices.After a brief explanation of the conceptual basis of music shelflisting, Richard P. Smiraglia brings together and clarifies shelflisting practices that are otherwise difficult to find or understand, providing concise and easy-to-follow instructions for assigning shelflist numbers. Smiraglia also includes a glossary of terms, as well as flowcharts to illustrate the process graphically. This small, easily accessible book can be kept by a computer workstation and consulted quickly for shelflisting guidance by anyone who catalogs music materials, from novices to experts.

Includes terms used in both current and earlier Library of Congress practice, as well as words and abbreviations commonly found on title pages of scores, on labels and containers of sound recordings, and in bibliographic and descriptive sources used in the acquisition and cataloging of these materials. In all, the glossary defines and cross references almost 600 English and foreign words and abbreviations, few of which are found in standard music dictionaries or explained in cataloging manuals.