A music library contains music-related materials for patron use. Collections may also include non-print materials, such as digitized music scores or audio recordings. Use of such materials may be limited to specific patron groups, especially in private academic institutions. Music library print collections include dictionaries and encyclopedias, indexes and directories, Sheet music, music serials, bibliographies, and other music literature. Some public libraries have music rooms.
Types
Traditionally, there are four types of
music libraries:
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Those developed to support departments of music in university or college settings;
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Those developed to support conservatories and Music school;
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Those housed within Public library;
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Those developed as independent libraries or archives supporting music organizations.
Musical instrument library
A musical instrument library lends or shares musical instruments. Examples can be found in
Canada;
,
,
,
Washington
and New York
in the United States.
With the development of the Mass media (Filmmaking, production of PC game, advertising), musical works created using digital technologies have become especially in demand, characterized by the use of various audio effects libraries and musical instruments. Over the past decade, many digital musical instrument library companies have grown, including Spitfire, Cinesamples, Heavyocity, Soundiron, and Native Instruments. Some are focused on reproducing the sounds of the instruments of the classical orchestra in digital format, others on creating libraries of traditional Folk instrument, including Arabic music, Turkish, Iranian, Indian, Japanese and others.
Other uses
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Production music libraries license stock music for use in film, television, and radio productions.
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Performance libraries serve performing music groups, particularly large orchestras, by acquiring, preparing, and maintaining music for performance.
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Digital music libraries and archives preserve recordings and digitized scores or literature in a variety of electronic formats. Many music libraries dedicate part of their duties to digitizing parts of their collection and maintaining digital files. Digital materials may be part of a larger, physical collection, or may compose an entirely electronic collection not physically accessible (usually housed on a network or on the Internet). Access may be limited as a fee-based service, a private service to specific user groups (such as students at a conservatory), or freely accessible to the public.
See also
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List of online music databases
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Music librarianship
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Music Library Association
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Universal Circulating Music Library
Further reading
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Anderson, Gillian B. "Putting the Experience of the World at the Nation's Command: Music at the Library of Congress, 1800-1917", Journal of the American Musicological Society, (1989), 42(1), p. 108-149.
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Bibliothèque nationale (France), Département de la Phonothèque nationale et de l'Audiovisuel = The National Sound Recordings and Audiovisual Department of the National Library of. Paris: Bibliothèque nationale, 1986.
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International Association of Music Libraries. Bibliothèques d'établissement d'enseignement musical: Répertoire européen = Libraries in Music Teaching Institutions: European Directory. 1994.
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Langridge, Derek. Your Jazz Collection. London: C. Bingley, 1970. SBN 85157-100-X
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Lewis, Larry, ed. Union List of Music Periodicals in Canadian Libraries. Second ed. Ottawa, Ont.: Canadian Association of Music Libraries, 1981.
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Lionel McColvin, and Harold Reeves. Music Libraries. Original ed. by Lionel Roy McColvin and Harold Reeves; re-written, rev., and extended by Jack Dove, in series, Grafton Books. London: A. Deutsch, 1965.
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Music Library Association. A Survey of Musical Instrument Collections in the United States and Canada, conducted by a committee of the Music Library Association, William Lichtenwanger, chairman & compiler; ed. and produced by James W. Pruitt. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Music Library Association, 1974.
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Music Library Association New England Chapter. Directory of Music Libraries and Collections in New England. 9th ed. Providence, R.I.: The Chapter, 1994.
External links
