MLA in Memphis, Tennessee Lisa Rae Philpott the University of Western Ontario, [email protected]

MLA in Memphis, Tennessee Lisa Rae Philpott the University of Western Ontario, Philpott@Uwo.Ca

Western University Scholarship@Western

Western Libraries Publications Western Libraries

2-2006 MLA in Memphis, Tennessee Lisa Rae Philpott The University of Western Ontario, [email protected]

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Citation of this paper: Philpott, Lisa Rae, "MLA in Memphis, Tennessee" (2006). Western Libraries Publications. 72. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/wlpub/72 MLA in Memphis, Tennessee

The Peabody Hotel February 22-25, 2006

By Lisa Rae Philpott Music Library, University of Western Ontario

This year’s MLA Continuing Education rooting for its homegrown talent, Three-6 Workshop, Digitizing Music, was sponsored Mafia, nominated (and winners) in the Best by the Education Committee, and was a pre- Song category for “It’s Hard Out Here for a conference offering. I was fortunate to be Pimp” in the film, Hustle & Flow. Ford, a placed on the waiting list, and was pleased Northerner, described Memphis as a well kept that a larger venue was found, thus permitting secret and urged attendees to visit the me to attend this session. museums and take-in live performances on Beale Street. Her recommendations? MLA’s opening reception is the traditional “Experience music. Eat BBQ. See the beginning of the conference proper. Following Mississippi River.” on the heels of the New Members roundtable and reception, this reception provides the American Libraries’ reporter Gordon opportunity to meet- and-greet other MLA’ers Flagg was welcomed. Annie Thompson and visit with our many wonderful vendors. (Conference Manager) welcomed new exhibitors, and thanked the sponsors for their The seventy-fifth Annual Conference was underwriting of coffee breaks. Anna Neal opened by MLA President (and UWO SLIS (Program Chair) offered updates to the grad) Bonna Boettcher (Cornell U). Local program. Allie Goudie (Chair, Development library dignitaries Judith A. Dresscher Committee) described how valuable MLA (Director Of Libraries, Memphis Public was to her during her thirty-year career in Library) and Dr. Sylverna Ford (Dean of isolated Western Illinois, and encouraged Libraries, University of Memphis) welcomed members to donate to the Association: by us warmly, and spoke about their institutions. choosing to forego just one cup of Starbucks Drescher regaled us with describing how her weekly, one could easily afford to give staff “hangs around Beale Street” hoping to annually to the cause. And, the Merry persuade local musicians to record their music Auctioneers offered a rendition of the and donate their music, papers, programs, “Marketing Blues,” sung to the tune of notes, napkins (with snippets of tunes, etc.) to “Heartbreak Hotel,” accompanied by Rick the MPL. She also encouraged attendees to McRae, trombone. listen to the MPL’s radio station WYPL FM 89.3 from 8 pm to midnight and from 4 am to Plenary I. MLA’ers: Past, Present and Into 8 am to sample their programming of soul, Our Future Jane Penner, UVA Sun Studios, sixties, seventies, and current pop music. She mentioned Memphis would be

11 The MLA Archives reside at the through 800 titles of Chicago sheet music. A University of Maryland, College Park, and study of this collection eventually became include significant oral history accounts, due approved as her thesis project. to the efforts of Carol June Bradley. Marjorie Hassan has spent two years reformatting the She married Mort during WWII; they archive onto gold CDs. Conference attendees settled on the East coast. At that point, the were invited to experience the Archives’ MLA Newsletter was a mimeographed interactive computer program at the MLA quarterly. Dena wrote the editor, Richard Hill, table; the web site is under construction. The offering an article about Chicago music panel members were then introduced. publications. Mort had occasion to visit DC on business, and met with Hill. Later, Dena learned that Hill had borrowed her thesis via Dena Epstein is an MLA pioneer, and a inter-library loan, and that eight instalments of pioneer in the field of American music her thesis had appeared in Notes - without publishing. She is the author of Sinful Tunes anyone telling her! Dena eventually met with and Spirituals: Black Folk Music to the Civil Hill in New York City regarding the War (1977); Music Publishing in Chicago publication in book-form of the appendix to Before 1871 : Firm of Root & Cady (1969), her thesis, but that never happened. and the recipient of two NEH grants. Her library career at the University of Chicago With two children, no library would hire spanned 22 years; she has served on the MLA Epstein, as she was deemed “not reliable.” Board, and was its President, 1977-79. In But she was able to make weekend trips to the 1986 she was awarded the MLA Citation for New York Public Library, where she furthered Distinguished Service; in 1996 her husband her research. She became interested in slave Mort established the Dena Epstein Award for songs of the US, culminating in her 1977 Archival and Library Research in American publication, Sinful Tunes and Spirituals. Music as an anniversary gift. The Society for During her sixteen years spent outside of American Music bestowed its Lifetime librarianship, she served MLA. She stopped in Achievement Award in 2005. to visit at the U of Chicago in 1964, and was offered a part-time job! Her entire thesis was Epstein joined MLA in 1931 – three years republished in Detroit Studies in Music before AMS was founded! There was no TV, Bibliography, with the support of Bruno Nettl. no computers, and not many music librarians. In 1937 she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Joseph Boonin has been a member of from the U of Chicago. There were no jobs, so MLA for over fifty years. His careers have she was advised to go library school at the U included music publishing (Jerona Music and of Illinois. However, Illinois told her that Joseph Boonin Music) and distribution; he because she had a music degree, she was retired from the NYPL in April 2003. He ineligible! Setting the record straight, she studied librarianship at Drexel, has served on replied she had an arts degree, and she was the MLA Board and has liaised with the accepted on condition that she must accept the Music Publishers Association. best job they could find for her. While studying for her Masters degree, she catalogued half-time, working her way

12 Boonin declared that “the profession sucked me in!” In 1954 he had no idea what to Michael Duffy is a recent graduate of do with his life. He was always in love with Northern Illinois (2002), belonging to the music. One day he stumbled over the current Mid-West Chapter. He contributed a poster periodicals, and discovered Notes, and session at the Vancouver Conference (2005). decided it was “way cool!” He read all of 1954, and back through 1943! He decided “I Duffy has been involved with music since gotta have this!” One could subscribe to the grade seven. Playing trumpet, he involved issues for a mere four or five dollars and it himself in every available musical cost an additional dollar to join the opportunity, from music camps to study of Association. “What the heck, they could music at the university level. At Western probably use the other dollar.” He received Michigan University he spent lots of time in notice of the 1959 Cleveland meeting – two the library, looking at microfilm dissertations. weeks after it happened! In terms of his own study of Bach’s chorale Alle Menschen, in retrospect, had he only Eventually he met fellow MLA’ers at asked for help, he could have saved hours of ALA in Washington. He was treated as a research time! In 1999, Duffy called Don colleague from the start, and said “There are Roberts, which, unbeknownst to him, was an only two kinds of music librarians, No. 1 are interview! He became enrolled in a dual the ones you know; No. 2, the ones you don’t masters degree, and knew that he had found know. You need to increase the No. 1’s.” his calling. An evenings/weekends supervisor at Northwestern, Duffy is now employed at Northern Illinois. He finds his job challenging Amanda Maple is a mid-career music and rewarding, and is completely engaged. He librarian. She has co-authored the Guide to is a “complete librarian” and is responsible for Writing Collection Development Policies for reference and cataloguing. Music, and has served as an assistant editor to Notes. She is also a harpsichordist. How did technology developments impact your job? Maple described herself as an enthusiastic music librarian. She entered the profession Epstein: “Technology had not been born!” through the back door, as a paraprofessional The University of Chicago had a computer, supplementing her income. Working for but there was no music on it. NYPL’s Suki Sommer, Amanda discovered the joy of colleagues, expanded her love of music and music publishing. Boonin: Red book. Green book. Manual technology, with his entree to NYPL, whose typewriters. 3 by 5-inch cards. We weren’t vendor had gone belly-up. He found himself plugged in anywhere! The cataloguer for playing catch-up over a ten-year career. With Hebraic and Slavic languages had four a collection of LPs “rotting on the shelves,” typewriters, and on the Hebraic one, the he needed to develop a comprehensive carriage-return was on the other side circulating CD collection – and train the (described as a way to “mess with your mind” LOL’s (little old ladies, although actually they after a long week!). Joe was late to can be of either gender) who tried to play CDs

13 on a turntable! “Remember Schwann? This years in business. He had no idea of how to reminds me of Anna Russell!” Joe’s career get back into music librarianship, but Suki was pretty much a fight with technology, as Sommer said, “We’ve got an opening.” It was acquisitions was old-fashioned and not at all difficult to walk away from business and take automated: he made lists. up the challenge of developing a sound/video collection. But, after thirty years of Crumb, Maple recalled seeing her first RLIN Xenakis and Ligeti, there was great comfort in terminal in 1986, and it was housed in the know that every CD is four-and-three-quarter back staff area. There were no PCs on desks. inches! She remarked she finds it amazing how the PC has changed and expanded reference Maple reminded us that one develops service; she also noted she read her first e- collections “one title at a time” and that James mail message in 1990. Music librarians’ Coover described the development of facility with equipment and technology means collections for current and future users “as a we can help other colleagues (in other most profound and sacred trust.” It is difficult disciplines/areas): “Don’t panic about videos, to balance shrinking budgets with burgeoning we can do this together!” Technology is a collections possibilities, but one can still tailor wonderful aspect of our jobs. a collection to a community, title by title. Access issues include the move away from Duffy has grown up with technology, ownership, necessitating a need to establish a including web site design, although networks balance between print and digital resources. are a new experience. He was fortunate to Music librarians must still spend time begin a new job at the same time that a new developing a collection title by title – in the computer system was launched. In the same manner as art history and humanities summer of 2003, he took a week-long collections librarians do. learning technologies course, which offered ways of using technology to enhance one’s Duffy found the newness of his job to be teaching. He created an instructional web site, challenging: adjusting to a regular schedule of which he updates regularly. Technology cataloguing, and AACR2 was daunting, due to makes our jobs easier. the complexity of music. He took a music cataloguing course which provided him with What other challenges have you faced in your tools he needed, and he enjoyed it! He relishes career? his reference duties, and is in the process of developing a portfolio for tenure purposes – a Epstein’s biggest difficulty was the process with some attendant fear. However, inability to get a job, with two children! his new contacts at MLA (Austin meeting) provided the opportunity to publish his first Boonin described modulation as his article, “Selected Research and Writings on biggest challenge. His working career spanned Instruction for Music Librarians: An 1959-2003, with a thirty-one-and-a-half year Annotated Bibliography,” in Music Reference leave from librarianship! His transition from Services Quarterly. MLA is large and cataloguing to businessman (as music daunting, but mentors have been helpful: distributor/publisher with a staff of three), Darwin Scott, Don Roberts, Stephen Wright, meant that he was burned-out after thirty Mark Scharff, and Ralph Papahkian.

14 What do you see for the future? Epstein reminded attendees that American music sources are often to be found in non- Boonin read a prepared statement: musical sources. In 1959 there was no reliable description of slave music before the Civil “1. MLA - it is essential that MLA reach out War, prompting her researches. “Be prepared in two directions: to look into non-musical sources!”

a. Toward para-professionals who work in Maple reiterated the importance of the music libraries but are not librarians. Often past; her mentors Richard Smiraglia and John these folk are not only the workhorses of Sheppard instilled a sense of confidence and some of our most significant collections, but purpose in her. She finds it reassuring that “at they are the most musically knowledgeable in the end of the day, I have more work than I a number of other collections. had at the beginning of the day!” which is indicative of job security! She recommended b. Toward libraries, particularly public Ned Quist’s article in Careers in Music libraries, that have enfolded their music Librarianship II. [Editor’s note: This book is and/or recorded sound units into larger, not reviewed on p. 38 of this issue.] music specific, entities. These libraries often lose their music specialists in the process and Duffy stressed the need to keep up with it represents a loss not only of a major technology – to help sooth frustrated patrons. element in MLA, thus affecting its future vitality, but for communities that could and Questions were invited from the floor. should benefit from the immense knowledge Memorable MLA Moments were mentioned: base offered by MLA and its membership. past-president Laura Danker recalled her first Dena Epstein lunch, and how everyone knew 2. Music Librarianship Dena! Michael Ochs wondered how one differentiated between the old-timers and It seems that we are steadily moving into younger MLA members. Are oldsters those an environment where an increasingly greater who “knew Dick Hill personally?” He part of our subject material – and I definitely attended his first MLA meeting (a joint include scores, books, recorded sound and meeting with ALA) in Chicago, where he met image – will be available either as a web Geradine Ostrove. He described meeting Dena alternative (musicalamerica.com, as his most memorable MLA moment! grovemusic.com, classicalmusic.com, Naxos Music Library) or solely via the web. I don’t Bonnie Jo Dopp, MLA’s Archivist, think that the CD will remain the principal congratulated the panel and organizers for means of distribution for recorded music enriching the Association’s archives with this much past 2010. The message will be session. Dena has influenced the future of divorced from any present or past medium and MLA with her generous endowment for we – as a profession as well as an association research into American music. – have to be ready beforehand to deal with this.”

Information Literacy Assessment for Undergraduate Music Majors

15 education necessary? Distance-education and Assessment is the latest buzzword in other teaching models also require bibliographic instruction, following the accountability. It’s an opportunity to creation of standards, and instructional continually improve what we are doing. objectives. Assessment is big – but in order to be truly meaningful, it is necessary to be able How do we decide best practices? There to compare students’ skills between are many models out there: performance- institutions. MLA devised its Information based versus authentic assessment (i.e., real Literacy Instructional Objectives in 2005. work tasks); quantitative vs qualitative; These received comments from the MLA individual student learning versus program Board and were submitted to ACRL for assessment. If there is a rubric, it is that feedback. Since then, the objectives have been information literacy assessment is in its re-submitted to the MLA Board, and then infancy, and that five criteria are necessary to back to ACRL. Look for additional make assessment work: train librarians; information in the March 2006 issue of Notes. decide what we want to learn about In the meantime, visit the web site – assessment; consider the costs (of our people, exlibris.memphis.edu/music/mla/handouts.ht too); involve the faculty; and encourage ml – for the handouts distributed at the dialogue between all of the partners. Memphis meeting. According to the ACRL Best Practices Initiative, assessment should have ongoing Deborah Pierce (U Washington) defined planning and improvement; include assessment as the gathering of data to better measurements of both the students and the understand strengths and weaknesses of program; be directly related to goals and student learning. It is a means to document objectives; and include peer and self- educational quality, and a vehicle for evaluation. educational improvement. Why are we doing this? Many accreditation agencies are The Programs requiring assessment, given the growing interest in accountability. Hence, At present there are four potential administrators and funding agencies are assessment programs available: SAILS, becoming interested, too. Assessment has an WOREP, ICAP and ETS. impact on employability issues: Is higher Tammy Ravas spoke about SAILS, which legal issues. Standard 4 cannot be measured was begun at Kent State University in 2001 in by multiple-choice testing. Music questions an effort to gain institutional support and are typically dense. SAILS used three trials to expand information literacy initiatives. test questions, from one-on-one questions to Students’ information literacy skills are tested small group trials to field trials (over 200 at admission to determine whether there is a students). See Ravas’s list of sample questions change in skill levels, and whether there is a at: exlibris.memphis.edu/music/mla/ravas.pdf. correlation to academic success. The SAILS SAILS can be music-specific, allowing for testing addresses four standards: the need for questions across majors and concentrations information, ability to access information (not class-specific), however it does not effectively, ability to evaluate sources address all five of the ACRL standards. critically, and understanding of ethical and

16 WOREP assesses skills at the institutional is still in development, and it is extremely level, making comparisons with national data. time-consuming. It is an initiative to compare info-lit measures with student achievement, and to compare Discussion followed, with the consensus with other institutions. being that we will have no choice regarding assessment, so we would be well-advised to Donna Arnold (U of North Texas) be prepared. The desirability of a nationally- described the Information Competency normed test was noted, as was the need to Assessment Project’s (ICAP) instrument interface with music departments. There is a devised by the Bay Area Community need for research in this area, and a need for Colleges, San Francisco. It is a credit-by- MENC/AMS participation as an instrument is exam based on specific performance developed. outcomes, and criterion referenced to national standards such as ACRL. I Didn’t Know That Was Available Online The creators welcome adaptation by Laurie Sampsel (U Boulder, Colorado) others for their own use, and the tool has been tweaked extensively. There is no charge for Sampsel offered her list of favourite the use of these materials, and there is useful online resources at: information regarding a scoring rubric and how to develop one. This is a tool which was exlibris.memphis.edu/music/mla/sampsl1.pdf developed with an investment of a mere $3,000. Visit: http://www.topsy.org/ICAP/ Attendees were invited to share theirs, which ICAProject.html. included:

Cheryl Taranto (U Las Vegas) outlined the www.cpanda.org Princeton - Cultural policy ETS (www.ets.org) approach. This is the www.ibdb.com The Internet Broadway company which administers such tests as the Database GRE, GMAT, PRAXIS, SAT, ICT Literacy www.artsjournal.com The Arts Journal Assessment, the latter being Information and www.bartleby.com Unlimited free access to Communications Technology. The company literature, reference and verse administers the tests, but provides no content, webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/fli/index.jsp Indiana and makes available core assessment (high U’s Film Literature Index school to college students) and advanced www.allmusic.com All Music (upper-level undergrads). ICT proficiencies www.arkivmusic.com CD vendor, huge online include define, access, manage, integrate, catalogue evaluate, create and communicate. This is the www.choralnet.org Choral Music only system which addresses ACRL Standard www.playbill.com The Playbill Broadway 4 (evaluate, create, communicate). It is Theatres Publication. performance based, offers the ability to assess www.playbillarts.com/index.php Coverage of more complex tasks, and offers two levels of classical, opera, dance, jazz assessment (core and advanced). The cons: it www.andante.com www.newmusicjukebox.com Offered by the www.allaboutjazz.com Jazz site American Music Center

17 www.seventhstring.com/ See the left-hand Residence at the Chicago Symphony (1997- sidebar for an index of fake books 2006), and is presently Chair of the American www.cim.edu The Cleveland Institute of Music Center’s Board of Directors. Loebel Music – under Library/Resources, see the has conducted a large list of orchestras, and is index to the Cleveland Symphony’s program known to have donned a baseball uniform for notes. youth concerts. publish.uwo.ca/~metastas/ The Metastasio Database - Eighteenth-Century Studies, UWO Thomas spoke about the MLA- www.arts.ufl.edu/motet/ The Motet Database, commissioned work to be heard tonight. She U Florida was approached some two-and-a-half years www.operabase.com Handy for finding ago, and was to include references to European opera schedules Memphis. The obvious choice was Elvis, versus any other poetic reference. She wanted Also look for a collaborative project something literary, elegant and graceful, so between SingOut! and Oberlin to go live in purchased a seven-CD set of Elvis’s music for the New Year: this will be an online index to background. And rock ‘n’ roll reminds her of folk song anthologies published between 1952 Stravinsky. The work is in three sections, each and 2004. of about three minutes’ duration. There are bell sounds, and a solo cello. She envisioned a French fabric, with eight solo violins, muted, playing fragments of Elvis songs – so that Plenary II. Collaborations: An Interview “Elvis is somewhere in the room.” The middle with Augusta Read Thomas, Maestro section is transitional, with lots of pizzicato David Loebel and MLA’s Don Roberts. (again, bell sounds), with two violins playing high solos. The last section is a great Don Roberts moderated this session, as crescendo, from ppp to fff, with percussion both “Gusty” Read Thomas and David Loebel (including bass drum and cymbal), an are Northwestern grads (and Loebel was a accelerando and repeated cells. She makes her student employee of the Library). Tonight’s music by taking from history (rock ‘n’ roll to commission, “Shakin’ (Homage to Elvis Stravinsky in this instance) and making it Presley and Igor Stravinsky),” will be personal and unusual. She is especially drawn performed twice. to and interested in the beauty and sound of the orchestra. Thomas is Wyatt Professor of Music at Northwestern, has been the Composer-in- Roberts asked how the commission came understood the weighty responsibility of bring about. He had spoken with Loebel a couple of a new work to life, and was thrilled that Thanksgivings ago and asked, “What can we Thomas made her deadline. Part way through do?” Loebel responded, “Wow!” A committee the compositional process, she got in touch was struck, a number of people were with Loebel to discuss the practicalities – such considered, and Thomas was chosen. Loebel as the orchestra’s strengths and the acoustics stated, “Music dies when people stop writing of the hall. The entire concert grew out of the it,” and he is thrilled there are composers who commissioned work. Loebel remarked that still want to write for orchestra. He Memphis has a non-classical music heritage,

18 and one might well ask, “Is this a theatre As a composer, Thomas has spent the last town, a dance town, or a music town!?” No twenty-five years doing nothing but writing matter which, tonight’s concert will be an music. She strives to sum up sound and has a MMM (a Major Memphis Moment)! He strong desire to communicate. She is at her recounted meeting Sam Phillips, who greeted drafting table daily, and has a deep need to Loebel by saying, “Maestro, Memphis is so compose. She builds a work and its form by happy....Memphis loves you!” Loebel intuition rather than using a twelve-tone row. confessed to being speechless at this greeting. She tries to keep an improvisational quality in her work, but everything is completely Rock ‘n’ roll is inescapable for anyone notated; the musicians are not improvising. under age seventy. It is part of our musical life She improvises as she goes along, but still and influences composers, hence tonight’s wants the finished work to sound fresh. Her program title, Rock like Bach, which features music is filled with cross-references: lots of Frank Zappa’s G-Spot Tornado, Daniel B. pizzicato bass is due to the fact that she listens Roumain’s Hip Hop Essay for Orchestra, to lots of jazz; without a drum-set it sounds David Kechley’s The Funky Chicken, David like Stravinsky. She likes Mingus – so he is Schiff’s Stomp for Orchestra, Christopher cross-referenced by “duelling banjos” in the Rouse’s The Nevill Feast, and Michael strings. She described a “way” to compose ala Daugherty’s Motown Mondays, in addition to Hindemith, very European style and carefully Thomas’s commissioned work. For the crafted, as opposed to the freedom of the US Memphis Symphony press release, see: melting pot, where there is no “way” to www.memphissymphony.org/NewsandRevie compose. She described composition as a very ws/News-Review-Detail.cfm?ID=2394 personal experience where one creates And for a review of the concert, see: emotional worlds – but it is “virtually www.memphissymphony.org/NewsandRevie impossible to write a great piece!” ws/News-Review-Detail.cfm?ID=2321 (Composers are highly self critical.) However, Last but not least, for the composer’s program she finds composing exhilarating as she really notes, see: www.augustareadthomas. cares about nuance and the differences in com/shakin.html. sounds. It is unbelievably difficult, but the process of trying to notate the exact musical As Chair of the AMC’s Board, Thomas sense of nuance will keep her interested for serves 2,500 members of the association life. Sadly, one can never listen to everything, founded by Aaron Copland in 1939. The but rather than listen to more Vivaldi she AMC has a $4 million endowment, makes would like to hear something new, please! She grants to new composers and offers the mentioned a “favourite twenty-seven hours... newmusicbox at www.newmusicbox.org/ plus How many listening hours do we have left in the NewMusicJukebox at life? I want to listen to new things!” www.newmusicjukebox. org/. Loebel described his stint working for own house, you can go to the library. He was Don Roberts as a great experience and an thrilled to meet Berlioz scholar Hugh essential education – he was able to listen to MacDonald. He also confessed he reads Notes LPs while he worked! Conductors are for the ads. He wants to know everything, insatiably curious, they want to hear loves the New Publications column, and everything, but if that’s not possible in your likewise the Necrology Index is interesting.

19 suggestions. Loebel said there are two kinds Questions from the floor were invited. of composers: those with x-ray ears (like Wendy Sistrunk asked Thomas about Samuel Barber) who know their score; and documentation. She replied that she those for whom everything is wonderful – and appreciated Schirmer’s good, clean scores, who are in love with hearing their work. It and its catalogue. She herself keeps two boxes may be easier to work with the latter, but it is of programs and some thirty boxes of letters. much more rewarding to work with the She also has a list of “important things” such former. Student composers are often cowed by as a poem that she loves. Bonnie Jo Dopp the experience, but Loebel likes it when inquired about Thomas’s outreach activities composers argue! Thomas said that is nice to during her residency in Chicago. Thomas be able to say, “Try that pizzicato section replied her tenure at Chicago began in 1997, arco” or “May I hear X isolated?” But when and will end in mere weeks (she received you are asked/told, “Comments? We have two several renewals of her term as Composer-in- minutes,” you know that conductor didn’t Residence). It was one of the greatest things, really want your piece! Still, as a composer, and she will be indebted forever for the she knows that musicians’ time is pure gold. opportunity. She was able to work with amazing musicians, and got to learn Mark Scharff commented that Thomas’s something new every day. She delivered some duelling banjos really stimulated the seventy pre-concert lectures each year. imagination. He inquired about her historical MusicNOW, a chamber music series, features record and artifacts - “the papers on the wall.” music of living composers who are brought to Thomas keeps her scores on nice large paper the concert featuring their works. MusicNOW in a special chest. They are clean and proofed. has also commissioned new works. There are She draws sketches of the form and counter- outreach programs to both public and high melodies on 8.5 by 11-inch or 11 by 17-inch schools. The school concerts are scheduled for paper, and uses colours. When she lectures to the first week of April: five days with two composers, she brings examples with her. concerts a day. Each concert seats an audience of 3,000. Joe Boonin inquired about Thomas’s druthers in terms of genre. She loves a tight, Someone inquired about the composer- big band or jazz band sound, and would love conductor relationship during rehearsals. to collaborate with scat - her treatment of Thomas stated that with a clean score (no brass grows out of her love for big bands. typos), the conductor shouldn’t have to call, Loebel said that as a student he bought all his but it is fun to collaborate. Often one is music from Joe Boonin! invited to sit without offering input, versus being onstage, offering comments and Thomas was asked about her complete actually like?” So, in a catalogue of some 400 works. She is now forty-one. At age thirty, works, which twenty are her favourites? “You she withdrew everything she had written, with know your best works.” Which are her three the exception of some thirty works; she best? “Which genre?” Thomas listed Ritual wanted to put her best foot forward. She Incantations (solo cello), Words of the Sea believed in those thirty works. “Wouldn’t you (orchestra), Piano Etudes and In My Sky at rather travel to Helsinki for a piece you Twilight (solo soprano and chamber

20 orchestra). Ask MOLA (Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association) System User Groups I arrived at this session, already in I attended the INNOVATIVE session. progress, to hear one of the librarians say, WebPAC Pro is the latest product, with plans “We deface the collection!” Robert for twice yearly upgrades. One will be able to Sutherland, Orchestra Librarian at the Met, change the sort of a result list however one stated, “Essentially, orchestra librarians do wishes. And, in keyword, an algorithm will whatever it takes to get a performance used to produce relevancy rankings in the onstage. And if no one knows that I have done results list. The algorithm is a combination of anything, then I’ve done a really good job.” adjacency and where/how the keywords On occasion he considers himself to be a appear. Mark Scharff asked which MARC forensic librarian deciphering handwriting on fields have the most weight in the algorithm. parts; some of Dvorak’s own changes were There are four levels, whereby the third level dictated to the players from the podium, and takes into account the Boolean “and” exist only in those parts, amendments that operator, and the fourth level takes everything aren’t likely to appear in the critical edition! else into account. Another nice feature is the He discussed the importance of the hall possibility of offering fifty-item result lists, up acoustic with respect to a work being played from the current twelve. This will be an on/off appropriately; and the best edition is the one option. WebPAC PRO will no longer use the conductor wants! frames and libraries will be able to add to a brief citation display for customization. Scope Augusta Read Thomas discussed the notes can affect displays, as can language. importance of publishers and their agents. “Tokens” can be used to rearrange key Susan Feder of Schirmer arranged the details elements of a page, and also to suppress of this week’s premiere over a year ago. The elements. All of the buttons will be on the left exclusivity agreement means that a work can hand side of the page. be taken on tour; an archival copy is maintained by the publisher. The notation One will be required to log-in to “My program SCORE is not user friendly, but it Millennium” just once. However, it means does produce beautiful scores. Schirmer that users must be trained to log-out at the end extracts the parts and makes provision for of sessions. Spell-check will be available but page-turns. Thomas noted there is never expensive, offering best guess or drop-down enough rehearsal time, so it was good to spelling choices. A Feed Builder for RSS collaborate with the conductor, to learn who Feeds offers new ways of disseminating sits where and who your five best players are, information, such as new-book lists via so that she could highlight the players and review files. The 2000LE Token is the means their positions. of displaying RSS Feeds in the catalogue.

Sutherland also spoke about rehearsal rabbits out of hats.” The time line of a deadlines, and how relationships with commission has to be pragmatic. Composers publishers are important. A good relationship shouldn’t have to worry about business. Let means that Sutherland can seem to “pull them compose. Consider all of the work in

21 preparation, proofreading and printing. You artistic/mia/index.shtml), whereby smaller have to feel for self-published composers! orchestras were to perform a new piece by Joan Tower. Schirmer published the work. So, Thomas confessed she doesn’t even read how many sets would be needed? At least the contracts that Susan Feder sends her, she nineteen complete sets were circulated; each simply signs them. By having Schirmer look set cost $300 in paper alone! One has to after the business, Thomas has a clear, remember that conducting is a commercial tranquil space in which to work. business. To be noticed, one needs a hook for the season brochure, like “I want the early George Boziwick inquired about the version of Howard Hansen’s Symphony.” The historical context of her work. Thomas librarian must then track it down. Or: “I heard described herself as a Triple A Perfectionist. this two-and-a-half years ago, can you get me She couldn’t withdraw her earlier works as a score?” Editorial changes are often made by completely as she would have liked to have the conductor. The librarian is handed a list of done. Having spent twenty-five years changes to be made to the parts – to be done learning to write music, she wants to be able in the space of a mere hour-and-a-half! to revise as she wishes, to add small nuances and details as she sees fit. She wants to put her strongest foot forward, hence her decision Plenary III Collection Development: to withdraw her juvenilia. Techniques, Resources, and Perspectives for the Music Librarian James Cassaro Sutherland dates and time-stamps his (Pittsburgh), Chair materials, keeping notes on conductors and composers. He noted that Schirmer includes Cassaro opened this session by illustrating the printing date on each score it publishes. the reviewing history of Notes. The December To ensure a work has a life beyond its first 1942 issue contained eight book reviews; performance, it is important to keep music reviews began with Series 2, volume 2, meticulous notes regarding instrumentation – issue 3; book and music reviews were regular does the clarinet double on bass clarinet? features with the next issue. By March 1947 When one is booking a season two years in (4/2), the Publications Received column advance, one must be able to tailor exactly to appeared; the index to record reviews the group. Occasionally a work is tied to a appeared in March 1948 (5/2), with Kurtz particular ensemble’s performance of it. Myers as compiler with the following issue.

Sutherland described the “Ford Made in America” commission (www.symphony.org/ Cassaro compared Notes review data with critiques. Neither Amazon nor B&N have other online resources: many books are much coverage of foreign-language materials. reviewed only by Notes. Of 220 reviews that IAML’s Fontes has the largest review appeared on Amazon.com, ninety percent coverage of foreign-language publications. have HTML of Notes’ reviews! Barnes & Cassaro noted that the value of the MLA Noble listed some 366 titles, of which sixty- journal is quite high with respect to collection three percent had some sort of review from development; the use of web sites is a much extracts of publishers’ statements or brief less effective means of finding reviews

22 appropriate to one’s needs. In terms of acquisitions, Fling suggested Michael Fling (Indiana U) commented that one should heed Smokey Robinson’s Mama: reference librarians today can offer live chat, “You better shop around!” When choosing consult online reference databases, and vendors, it is far preferable to buy Italian download full–text e-books to their desktops. music from Italy; Spanish music from Spain, You can verify current availability of items in etc. List prices are often lower, and one can the stacks from home. Ready cataloguing is avoid the US markup. Should you surf available. Online resources include WorldCat, www.henle.de and convert the currency, you vendor sites, all keyword searchable. You can will suffer from sticker-shock: US prices are view on-order items in library catalogues, and fifty percent higher. In the US, Ricordi is send purchase requests by e-mail from both distributed by Hal Leonard, whose prices are online or printed vendor catalogues. often fifteen percent less than the Euro pricing, however, HL may not stock the entire Until the early 1990s, centralized catalogue, so order fulfilment rates can be acquisition was the norm at Indiana U. With disappointing. Fling disparaged this lack of the advent of an integrated system, the Music service whereby particular titles are deemed Library moved to direct ordering/receiving of unworthy of warehouse space, necessitating a all firm orders, including standing orders and direct order to Italy. continuations. Music Library staff import MARC records, or key-in preliminary MARC In terms of online stores and US editions, records, with uniform titles, attaching to the Barnes & Noble can ship US trade books fast. order record, and then print them. Materials The Indiana Music Library has a corporate and invoices are checked, invoices are sent to account with Amazon, with a thirty-four the main library which cuts the cheque. Use of percent discount and free shipping. However, a credit card facilitates ordering, being both of these vendors have little printed particularly useful for emergency purchases. music. CDs are only available at full price. Subscriptions and licensing are the province Library vendors offer the best prices on CDs. of the main library. Indiana uses no music approval plans. In the past, the requirement to use a single order records offer the bare minimum of acquisitions department created more information: author, title, place and ISSN. problems than it solved in terms of printing With revised automation compliance and mailing the orders. Expertise was lacking standards (indexing/searching), they now use when OCLC was used to re-verify orders. a two-sentence acquisitions form, as one Orders that specified Partitur were changed to needs: series information fields, with 4xx and “parts” and property-stamped (!), wasting 2xx, ISMN, format, edition statement, and time, effort and acquisitions funding. Since performing medium. For MARC to OCLC, the Music Library declared its independence, local adjustments are needed prior to printing the main acquisitions department has ceased the order. For example, for the 029 (publisher to verify the music orders and the purchase name) the second indicator must be set to 1 or orders are printed MARC records (the trick is 2; however, for Harrassowitz orders, the to print all). Fling described SIRSI Unicorn as second indicator must be 0. wretched for acquisitions purposes, since

23 Fling deems the use of credit cards as library at the best music school in the country. essential. This obviates the need for online At the end of May, he will be riding into the vendor records and the need for cutting sunset. You can expect to see his job posted. cheques. If you cannot get a credit card solely “If you enjoy spending your workday for music purchases, then cozy up to shopping, I urge you to apply!” whomever is the holder of such a card in your system! Ordering from publishers is bad Dan Zager (Eastman) discussed vendor unless you use a credit card. Smaller relationships and described collection publishers that specify pre-payment by cheque development as an art and a highly individual translates into slow service, unless they take process. Among the variables are the type of credit cards. Large publishers also have no library (conservatory, academic, departmental retail experience. or public), the curriculum requirements, and size of the budget. External constraints Hal Leonard offers links to online music include pricing, exchange rates, and whether stores. One can e-mail C.F. Peters for a price or not desired material is in-print/available. quote, and never get a reply. Boosey & Hawkes offers custom-print editions, but So, you need a score: by which composer; delivery is erratic. On the other hand, Amazon do you require a particular genre or specific ships what is readily available, and notifies work; is it a custom arrangement, a reprint, or customers about cancellations, in which case a publisher’s series; the publication date; kind one can try another vendor. Is something truly of score (full, newly edited, piano-vocal, or a out-of-print? Try one of the vendors with competing version); does a given score “fit” bargain basement prices like Alibris well and what is its cost. Selecting is (www.alibris.com)or Bookfind individualized; some items all librarans would (www.bookfinder.com). One is welcome to buy, such as the newly found Bach aria maintain desiderata lists, which are searched published by Bärenreiter. Zager described a every two months, or you can input desired nightmare scenario whereby we were titles into Alibris, where they are searched consulting new-issues slips with our MLA continuously. Alibris also has a libraries’ colleagues watching over our shoulders. Such division for billing purposes. a scenario could well incite paranoia, seeing the looks of surprise or disapproval on our On a personal note, Fling has recently colleagues’ faces, and have us looking for a celebrated his thirtieth anniversary as copy of Music Collection Development for collection development librarian at Indiana Dummies! University. It has been fulfilling and challenging to serve in a premiere music What happens when a vendor shuts down? approval plan budget; university press books What do you lose? Well, you lose your firm are slower to arrive. Cambridge and Oxford orders and your standing orders. You also University Press publications are on standing have a loss of service for those necessary order. All of this is timely and the return rate notices and notifications. We all use vendors is less than one percent. Scores? Well, music like Broude, OMI, and Thal. We may find is idiosyncratic. You should consider using an approval plans helpful (or not). At Eastman, approval plan: a) For assistance bringing in books arrive and are charged to a centralized classes of materially normally firm-ordered;

24 b) If there is a high level of predictability, as an aid to the selector; and c) If the approval Brian Doherty, session moderator, gave an line does not diminish the selector’s interim report of the status of A Basic Music discretionary budget. Library. This is our most highly visible service outside of our discipline. As of June 2004, a task force was struck to investigate One provides a vendor with an annual the options for updating this classic, the scope spending limit, and can add emerging and content and the means of publication. composers. The profile can be adjusted Surveys were conducted, with some decisions regularly to address new performing and taken. It was decided that BML should research interests. Older repertories can be function as a serial, and the editorship should included, easily accomplished by publisher- rotate (as the editorship of Notes rotates). The based selections. content will include reference books, periodicals, online resources, non-reference When selecting from vendors’ selection books and a guide to collection development slips, there is often minimal information for music. Because ALA is the current included. In the case of recordings and publisher, they must be offered first refusal of Western art music, many items never get the next edition; a letter of understanding has reviewed. In order to select the most current been drawn up, with Booklist Online performances and the broadest spectrum, it is considered as model. MLA would retain often useful to concentrate on particular ownership of content and receive royalties recording labels or by selecting particular from a third-party license. At this point, the performers. Labels such as Albany, names task force has been disbanded; its charge is like David Diamond, McCreesh, Stephen completed. Paulus, or the organ of Los Angeles Cathedral. This is selection by names only, and it is often best to “fill a gap” than to spend Beyond BI: Enhancing the Music endless hours seeking reviews. For example, a Librarian’s Effectiveness on Campus complete recording of the Hummel Piano Trios is probably worth having regardless of Sponsored by the Small Academic other considerations. In terms of scores, the Libraries Roundtable, this session featured edition or publisher is a point of primarily “solo” music librarians from smaller consideration. Zager saw a slip for a new institutions. trumpet book of orchestral excerpts, by Hickman. This got a great review in the International Trumpet Guild Journal. Zager will be buying the entire series. Sara Canino is the music librarian at from the main library means that Canino Vassar College. Even though the music meets frequently with her supervisor, and library is small, there are lots of opportunities ends up with a to-do list afterwards. The up – a trade-off for not having much control. A side is that she is in her supervisor’s face on a part of the music department building, the regular basis. Canino is on the local music library is considered (by the faculty) as preservation committee and offers in-depth being in the same department. Being separate reference consultations – which is a good way

25 to learn about titles that need to be acquired. stated unequivocally that non-musicians She also mounts exhibits in the main library cannot be effective as music librarians – highlighting the Music Library. One very contrary to the administration’s beliefs. successful exhibit highlighted poster art by Rowan has 10,000 FTE students, with some local and Vassar artists. As faculty, Canino thirty graduate music-education majors and participates in college-wide governance undergraduate programs in performance, committees – notably the Security Advisory composition, jazz and education. and the Copyright committees at present. She Consequently, research is conducted over has also enjoyed a term as a House Fellow broad subject areas, and Morris demands to be (faculty members who live/work in the consulted especially when plans were afoot to dormitories) and is sought out by the college add ten new graduate areas in music. She historian for information. Outside activities offered her opinions regarding the Canino has enjoyed include promoting the repercussions regarding library support for the presence of an unknown Cole Porter song new programs and ensembles. She attends collection and conference-hosting (although music faculty meetings as an ex-officio she admitted that hosting two separate member. She reminds successive chairs to conference concurrently was a bit ambitious). send her the agendas and to keep her posted. She attended a technology conference in Sitting through hours of dry, boring Middlebury, Vermont, and found it extremely discussions offers opportunities to occupy helpful in getting audio reserves up and herself, so she brings her knitting with her. running, as well as a database of musical instruments. Morris looked up “effectiveness” in Webster’s Dictionary: capable of, able to function, influential (in a positive way), to Marjorie Morris, an oboist, has been the exert authority, efficient, impressive, cogent, music librarian at Rowan University for over pleasing, satisfying, equipped. Morris makes twenty-five years. A petite marathon runner, it her job to promote credibility, visibility and her appearance belies her age. She confessed funding. In her three decades of librarianship, to finding shelter at the Roundtable, and gives she has had much practice in making slow, it credit for her longevity and credibility in the sure progress towards visibility, credibility profession. Since her arrival at Rowan, the and thus effectiveness. She shared her twelve music library has tripled in size, with the ways: addition of a computer lab and two additional full-time staff members. Morris arrived in · Be sure that the music faculty includes 1972 – to a collection of just-moved boxes you; with respect to the Library which had come from a basement or closet; Committee, Morris sets the agenda, and there was no cataloguing. As a musician, she always serves food; gained credibility with her clientele. She also · Acquire your own operating budget, apart space, security, etc., etc.). Being visible from acquisitions, equipment, furnishings adds to your credibility and can result in and supplies – this can be important in funding. Creating an e-mail distribution list terms of NASM accreditation; for her faculty hasn’t hurt, either; · Participate in committee work at the · Go after technology resistant faculty! Give university level: insert your needs (money, them a moment or two, then offer

26 assistance. This is another way to enhance offer refreshments; provide live music credibility. An unexpected dividend performances; occurred when an elderly retired faculty · Join the Friends of the Library / Friends of member died in 2005 and bequeathed his the Arts; collection to the Music Library’s Archive; · Go to faculty recitals and concerts. Take · Use appropriate signage and clip-art to get advantages of opportunities for continuing your point across (such as a reminder to education; take advantage of opportunities students to not leave library-owned to be visible and supportive; materials in classrooms and practice · Publications: Her volunteer work as Chair studios); of the Tenure Committee was also valuable · Involve yourself in campus organizations for informing the faculty of what librarians outside the department. Attend union do (or should do); meetings and participate in union-related · Prevent burnout. Do whatever “floats your work. (Morris has spent four years as boat,” whether it be playing, pursuing treasurer and fifteen as recording feminist causes, or running. Incidentally, secretary.) Her membership in a group of when running, Morris occasionally meets progressive faculty that helped raise the University President, a fellow runner. political issues on campus also helped her This makes running a political opportunity! to nail the support she needed for a second She also commented on the result of a professional music librarian. Her interest in recent survey posted on the MLA listserv of women’s studies and feminist issues what we music librarians do. We plan resulted in her picketing the Vienna exhibits, organize lectures/classes and other Philharmonic; a photo in the Philadelphia public programs, advance/assist music Enquirer identified Morris and her sister in scholarship, teach music bibliography, teach the front-line of the protestors. other classroom subjects and serve our · Hold library-sponsored events. Publicize professional organization. Beyond BI we can them properly with your name and the be involved with performances, offer guest library’s name prominently displayed. lectures to other disciplines, write program Morris organized two full recitals of notes, and so on. Of the sixty respondents, all women’s music; she took advantage of the find themselves doing four or five jobs; most travelling exhibit of the Music Publishers are classed as professionals rather than as Association’s Revere Award-winning faculty. scores; · AGM Highlights · Grab the opportunity to bring other staff and directors into the Music Library. Offer your space for big, general staff meetings; Feeling the need to check out B.B. King’s Michael Ochs delivered a touching tribute restaurant, and to explore Schwab’s to Stanley Sadie, “There isn’t anyone here Emporium (“If you can’t find it at Schwab’s, who hasn’t benefited from Stanley.” Ochs you’re better off without it.”), I missed the described the man, whom few had met, as a beginning of the AGM. But I did arrive in legend in our time, and larger than life. In time for the remembrances. addition to editing Grove, Sadie was an editor and reviewer of the Musical Times. He also

27 wrote or edited over 100 books. Sadie’s latest whole thing myself.” The MLA Citation was a book, Mozart: The Early Years, 1756-1781 token of her enduring influence on a had been begun a long time ago, but was put generation of music librarians. She was tough, aside. In fact, it was supposed to be a two- warm, generous and stubborn, and regarded volume work, but during the last three months her thirteen-year battle with cancer as one of his life, Sadie was feeling quite unwell and more life challenge. She collected books, was hospitalized – bringing his proofs with fabrics, needlework supplies, DVDs, and had him. One week before his death, he was “more dishes than the White House!” finally diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease Vandermeer commented that her collection of and was taken home to his country estate. He Anglican choral music CDs was likely attended a chamber music concert (a series complete. A memorial service was held on which he and his wife, Julie Anne, had Sunday, Nov. 9, 2005, featuring Byrd’s Ave established), and left at the interval. After the Verum and For All the Saints. performance, the quartet came to his house, where they played the slow movement of Ruth Henderson spoke of Melva Peterson. Beethoven’s Opus 135. He went to sleep and Peterson served three terms as MLA died shortly after. It was a pleasure to have Secretary. She also served on RILM’s known him. Committee Mixte, and was awarded the MLA Citation in 2001. Peterson was the Music Philip Vandermeer honoured Ida Reed, Librarian at the City University of New York Music Librarian at the University of North for thirty-nine years. She travelled extensively Carolina, Chapel Hill (1984-97). Reed was the (most recently to IAML in Oslo) and first MLA member Vandermeer met – at his championed political rights as a member of first MLA meeting. She was a devoted the Raging Grannies. As a member of (and member and an exemplary mentor, reviewer for) Sigma Alpha Iota, she amassed meticulous, involved in committees, creating a remarkable private collection, which was new projects and collaborative experiences. donated to CUNY. When editing the fifth edition of Duckles, she asked for a hard copy: “I’m retyping the Mary Davidson honoured Ruth Watanabe, a librarian by Hanson (after one term at long-time music librarian at the Eastman library school) and built a remarkable School. Born in California in 1916, Watanabe collection at Sibley, buying widely in was an only child who attended the University Europe’s rare book market, at auctions, and of Southern California in the fall of 1933, also purchasing complete sets at a discount. gaining Bachelor’s degrees in music and Watanabe’s service to MLA included English, and a Master’s degree in music in compiling the Music Received column for 1942. Of Japanese descent, Watanabe was Notes from 1967-96, chairing a number of interned in the California desert after Pearl committees, and serving as President (1979- Harbor, where she taught music appreciation 81). At Sibley, she taught the Introduction to classes. Howard Hanson learned of her plight, Music Research course (1967 through the and invited her to study for her PhD at the 1980s), wrote program notes for the Rochester Eastman School. She began her library career Philharmonic, and was named Professor of as a student circulation assistant, becoming Music Bibliography in 1979. Her Summer head of circulation in 1944. She was declared Institutes were legendary. At her retirement in

28 1984, she was named the Historian of the publication, Speaking of Music: Music Eastman School. Through the late 1990s, Conferences, 1835-1966. An essential inquiries about her well-being received the research tool, this retrospective survey of reply that she was “getting on fine.” On the congress reports documents some 6,000 occasion of her eightieth birthday, Sibley’s published papers presented at 496 Special Collections were named in her conferences. honour. She will be remembered for her wit, kindness, generosity and loyalty to the Next year’s MLA meeting will be held in Eastman School. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Feb. 26-March 3, 2007.

Geraldine Ostrove remembered Lenore Attendees were treated to a sung “Mister Coral, who died last March at age sixty-six. Rogers” invitation, with references to Gene Coral was both an outstanding librarian and Kelly’s hit, “Singin’ in the Acid Rain,” and scholar. She was noted for her conviction and “Can you say ‘Super Bowl Champions’?” commitment, and was a friend, advocate, and Enticements include the Andy Warhol mentor. She was hard on people, but harder on Museum (photos of James Cassaro, with herself. Sharp and well-informed, Coral was different-colour backgrounds were projected) always greatly concerned about taking the and “vistas that will take your breath away” right stand. Once she made up her mind, the (perhaps literally!). Cassaro warned us of the action had to be of superior quality. She was a local predilection for serving french fries with mentor of Cornell’s graduate students over a everything (you will find them buried at the period of twenty-five years, offering bottom of salads), including inside friendship, concern and hospitality. Coral also sandwiches – the most famous being found at founded the US RILM office in 1984, the Pimanti Brothers Restaurant: becoming its first director. She was President www.primantibros. com/realstory.asp. of MLA (1987-89), a vice-president of IAML Cassaro also provided a glossary of (1991-97) and actively served in the American “Pittsburgh speak” for the uninitiated: Musicological Society both at the chapter and national levels. She received the MLA Citation in 1991. Last year’s MLA meeting Chawt = Watch out! was the first one she had missed in thirty Bowchyins = Both of you. years. Her final days were spent organizing Jeet jet? = Did you eat yet? the completion of her nearly-finished book – Yabyinat? = Are you buying that? and its subsequent editing and publication. “So, yins alls come to Picksburg next year. Okel-dokel?” The Vincent Duckles Award was given to the International RILM Office for its Memphis epitomized southern hospitality – hotel was the Peabody, a grand dame whose even the panhandlers were exceedingly polite! second-floor Peabody Memorabilia Museum The downtown area was wonderfully clean, highlighted the hotel’s history and included with a charming trolley-car service (rides some sheet music by Guy Lombardo and his were one dollar) that offered two routes Royal Canadians. Famed for its Marching around the downtown area. The conference Ducks, a tradition from the 1930s, we were

29 treated to the Peabody’s twice-daily duck the visitor reception centre across the street parade, replete with music (Sousa’s “King seemed to be much larger than the residence. Cotton March”) and a red carpet for our The number of gold and platinum recordings feathered friends’ (mallards) trek between the on display was simply staggering – and fountain and their rooftop palace. The blinding! Beale Street yielded up its Peabody offered the coveted position of attractions, including A. Schwab’s, Memphis Honorary Duckmaster to MLA as one of the Music, and numerous restaurants. Alas, the Association’s silent auction offerings. pyramid was closed for renovations, but the Memphis’s attractions are many, but the outside view was nonetheless impressive. conference meetings tend to keep one pretty BBQ was amazing. Isaac Hayes’ collard busy. I managed to take the opportunity to greens were tasty, fried green tomatoes were visit Graceland, home of Elvis Presley, more delicious, but I’m not convinced about those modest in size than I would have imagined; fried dill pickles!