Modern Music Librarianship

For 37 years, Ruth Watanabe served as head of the Sibley Library of the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, one of the most outstanding collections of music, books on music, and music recordings of any academic institution in the western world. This volume, published in association with Bärenreiter Verlag, comprises essays devoted to the history, organization, administration, and innovations of the modern music library.

Music librarianship¿a profession that brings joy and satisfaction to many¿is subject to constant change that requires, in turn, continual adaptation from its practitioners so that they become comfortable with new technologies and formats, changing standards, and fresh approaches. Relevant and solid training and education are crucial to success in this field, but they alone are insufficient to guarantee placement or promotion. Recent economic shifts have created additional instability, leaving graduates from programs in librarianship sometimes unemployed and with little feedback about the quality of their experience and education while their employed counterparts likewise have little knowledge of their skills¿ relevance to the current job market. Knowledge of training, education, and current employer expectations for music librarians can help ease such concerns and pave the way for a successful career or career change. As with the two previous editions of Careers in Music Librarianship, this volume provides career resources and guidance for current and future librarians, as well as insights for mentors and educators working with these populations. With this volume, the contributors provide a selection of readings that can help people in and considering this profession to make realistic, informed, and strategic decisions about how to succeed in it. As the profession changes, so must the professionals within it, and everyone involved with music librarianship will benefit from the guidance offered in this exciting, new book.

The literature of American music librarianship has been around since the 19th century when public libraries began to keep records of player-piano concerts, significant donations of books and music, and suggestions for housing music. As the 20th century began, American periodicals printed more and more articles on increasingly specialized topics within music studies. Eventually books were developed to aid the music librarian; their publication has continued over the course of nearly a century. This book reflects the great diversity of the literature of music librarianship. The main resources included are items of historical interest, descriptions of individual collections, catalogues of collections, articles describing specific library functions, record-related subjects, bibliographies designed for music library use, literature from Canada and Britain when relevant to U.S. library practices, key discographies, and information on specialized music research. The material is ordered by topic and indexed by author, subject, and library name.

Topics addressed include the unique aspects of music librarianship, the growth and diversity of the profession, a profile of persons planning to enter the field, and the question of longevity and stability of practitioners of the profession.

First Published in 2005. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The UK branch of the International Association of Music Libraries was founded in 1953. This volume of specially commissioned essays celebrates the golden jubilee of branch's foundation and surveys the achievements of the last 50 years. With an emphasis on practical music librarianship, the essays examine the challenges that have faced the profession in recent years, as well as current developments in the field and the impact of modern advances in information technology.

This title was first published in 2003. The UK branch of the International Association of Music Libraries was founded in 1953. This volume of specially commissioned essays celebrates the golden jubilee of branch's foundation and surveys the achievements of the last 50 years. With an emphasis on practical music librarianship, the essays examine the challenges that have faced the profession in recent years, as well as current developments in the field and the impact of modern advances in information technology.