Hot Topics in Music Librarianship

By: William M. Nelson

Nelson, William M. (2007). Hot Topics in Music Librarianship. MLA Newsletter 149 (31) June 2007, 5-8.

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Abstract:

McTyre started the discussion on a humorous note, asking a tough old question in an innocent tone of voice: “ LPs. . . Is there an easy way?” This brought forth immediate warnings against the tendency to try and save everything. Then followed a “quick and dirty” approach: go to the MLA-L , where an excellent discussion of this issue took place a few years ago.

Keywords: music librarianship | newsletter | topics

Article:

***Note: Full text of article below Annual Meeting

Hot Topics in Music Librarianship

Mac Nelson, of the 2007 annual conference. voice: “Weeding LPs. . . Is there an University of North Carolina, McTyre’s talent for engaging such a easy way?” This brought forth im- Greensboro large audience in vibrant communi- mediate warnings against the ten- Moderator Ruthann McTyre (Uni- cation made for an intense, well- dency to try and save everything. versity of Iowa) brings a cool head paced ninety minute discussion. Then followed a “quick and dirty” to Hot Topics in Music Librarianship, McTyre started the discussion on approach: go to the MLA-L Archives, as do many of her MLA colleagues, a humorous note, asking a tough old where an excellent discussion of this 162 of whom attended this session question in an innocent tone of continued on page 6

Plenary III continued . . . continued from previous page must be made about which works to Western musics? “Basic” as applied to for example, video recordings allow discuss. music refers to its properties: time, the viewer to see other cultural as- Komara made the point that melody, harmony, rhythm, instru- pects of musical performances. A whereas selectivity is inevitable, mentation, forms and structures. In Basic Music cannot docu- canonicity results from the adoption order to create a basic ment everything important in ethno- of a particular collection of works by in the truest sense of the word, mu- musicology, so Danielson recom- several people, either through inclu- sic can either be complete mended limiting the focus to a few sion in a syllabus or in an anthology. and collect everything, or be com- specific topics and describing them Furthermore, those works not in the prehensive and collect throughout well. For music librarians, she sug- canon become “extra-canonical” and the whole field representatively. gested limiting the scope of collec- are at risk of being rejected as such. Komara discussed why BML tions to primary source materials. Komara recommended not rejecting should not be mistaken for a canon. The final speaker, Ed Komara, these works outright because if noth- BML could be considered a canon of commented further on plans for the ing else, they are useful as context MLA, though with 11,000 citations, it fourth edition of BML in his presen- for the canonical works. would be more practical to view it tation, “A Basic Music Library and Komara did not reject the idea of as a collection of canons. Even as a the Challenge of Musical Canons.” canonicity as inherently bad as it can collection of canons, not everyone Komara stated that the first three edi- show the derivation of a commu- would divide the citations among the tions of BML served as an acquisi- nity’s values and culture. He used same groups. tions guide and tool with which to the example of Robert Johnson’s gui- Komara concluded by explaining assess their collections. The purpose tar blues, which are viewed as that “basic” as a basis of acquisitions of his talk was to initiate discussion canonical by most modern blues and may be categorical according to the as to whether the fourth edition rock guitarists while the piano blues properties and genres of music should be “basic” or “canonical” and on which Johnson’s are modeled are rather than canonical. The materials whether there was a difference be- not. Komara accounted for the differ- would have to support more than tween the two terms. ence by stating that guitarists are just one group of patrons, be they The first section of Komara’s talk mostly aware of the guitar repertory undergraduates or graduate students, described the circumstances that lead and not so much that of the piano. or performance, history, or theory to selectivity and may make canonic- The second section of his talk majors. In his words, the fourth edi- ity inevitable. Librarians cannot buy addressed ways in which “canonical” tion of A Basic Music Library is everything, and sometimes cannot does not mean “basic.” A canon is broadening its intended scope from catalog what they do have. Among assigned value and greatness by con- the third edition by recommending researchers, every article of music sensus and has its roots in ecclesias- materials that are needed to gain could be important to someone, but tical study. The notion of a musical comprehensively a basic understand- realistically, some will be mentioned canon has been built in the history ing of individual aspects of music as more than others, and some will be of the Western tradition; is it appro- they are performed and exercised more influential than others. Choices priate to consider this for non- around the world.

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Hot Topics in Music Librarianship continued . . . continued from previous page a happier note, John Redford (Biola sources, Brian McMillan (McGill issue took place a few years ago. University) described in detail his full University) combines the instruction Also noted were some problems semester research course for under- of undergraduate and graduate stu- presented by LP recordings of solo graduates with an eye toward later dents, both performers and musicol- literature: CD replacements are often graduate study. This is a semester- ogists, in a class devoted to “cutting unavailable, and those that are re- long offering, featuring a 100 item edge” topics in the scholarly commu- issued soon go out of print. Scott annotated bibliography as the main nity. Finally, Julie Strauss (University Landvatter (University of Chicago), project. As John’s students only have of Cape Town) teaches a compre- who is now in the final stages of a immediate access to a small under- hensive research course that empha- 50,000 LP project, offered a good graduate library, he arranges field sizes instruction in writing skills. In rule of thumb: “Keep the rare stuff— trips to larger research institutions in response to this, there seemed a gen- and prepare for the big challenge of his region. Linda Fairtile (University eral consensus that librarians are in- making it accessible.” of Richmond) builds her research creasingly in demand as composition Re-visiting a hot topic from last goals into a required senior project, a teachers. year’s session, Christine Clark (Theo- substantial undertaking in which stu- Further consideration of the li- dore Front Musical Literature, Inc.) dents develop a proposal, write an brarian’s role as a teacher raised an- responded to the question, “How do abstract, and conduct research under other topic that is clearly heating up go about buying rental the guidance of a faculty advisor. in many music libraries: the curricu- scores?” She explained that there “What happens when students lar impact of Music Industry was a “surge of hope last year when claim they know research well Studies. Alicia Hansen (Loyola Uni- requests were submitted,” but added enough, having learned it else- versity, New Orleans) described her with regret that a number of librari- where?” An unidentified voice in interaction with a music industry ans have been unsuccessful in their the crowd answered this question professor keenly interested in biblio- subsequent attempts to secure bluntly: “If research is not on their graphic instruction who asked her to scores. Clark is currently working to transcript as a graduate course, they help him inspire “really great papers make rental scores available for have not taken it.” with excellent, well-documented purchase. In her capacity as a go- Over the course of this spirited pictures.” While such faculty involve- between for publishers and libraries, exchange on instruction, a few spon- ment is welcome, it can also be she hopes to secure regular print taneous hot topics erupted. The problematic, as Alicia explained by copy, or, at the very least, copy on “Busy-ness Problem,” for example, way of another professor’s observa- demand. Bonna Boettcher (MLA seems to pervade colleges and uni- tion that “Music Industry Studies are President, Cornell University) said versities. It is not uncommon these taking over the world and stomping that this issue will be raised at the days to hear that “the kids are too on traditional music school curric- spring Board meeting with publishers. busy.” This prompts librarians to ask ula.” Economic considerations also , in all its vari- the question, “How do we avoid apply, as Jon Haupt (Iowa State Uni- ety, was perhaps the most pervasive creating just one more thing for versity) acknowledged in his com- of the hot topics discussed. Under- students to do?” One answer is to ment that “arts programs tend to be graduate bibliography require a freshman course underfunded, especially in places and research instruc- Library in , that emphasize science and technol- tion: successes and fail- instruction was with the “built ogy.” However, for better or worse, ures elicited numerous perhaps the most into the course.” Another Jon added, when arts courses “move comments, some of them pervasive of the approach is to forge new toward Music Industry Studies, more quite impassioned. McTyre hot topics curricular connections money comes their way.” introduced this subject through comprehensive Also within the context of in- with her own brief tale of course offerings. Jane struction, Marc Rice (Truman State woe (which she somehow made Gottlieb ( Julliard) offers a DMA class University) asked the question, “Are funny) regarding the failure of a one in bibliography that includes under- there any good systematic assess- credit offering in arts research at graduates working in partnership ment tools?” Several participants Iowa. Alas, only one student signed with faculty members. Using a vari- suggested using follow-up surveys up, so the course was scrapped. On ety of new and standard research re- that work well as tools for tracking

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Hot Topics in Music Librarianship continued . . . students through their undergraduate Music Library 2.0 prompted they go under and we lose access. careers. Also noted was the role of comments on many hot topics, none There is no JSTOR for sound record- the “embedded librarian” at work more burning than the future of ings. Patrons don’t really care with human subjects who might be CDs. The discussion gathered up whether we own—but we have to tested to provide evidence of the ed- some familiar questions: “Are people have continuity in order to guarantee ucational work librarians do. Alicia still buying CDs? Why spend money access.” Hansen teaches a non-credit, one on them when they are on the way As might be expected, Social hour, freshman-level research class out?” Tom Caw (University of Hart- Software inspired a lively exchange. inclusive of requisite basic compe- ford) noted that for libraries with Jenny Colvin (Furman University) tencies in technology for all students. small, non-circulating teaching col- explained her use of MySpace Beth Macleod (Central Michigan lections: “Naxos and other streaming (http://www.myspace.com) and University) approaches assessment options are available, but not all FaceBook (http://www.facebook through the analysis of bibliographies rooms have wireless, and not all pro- .com) in exploratory assignments drawn from student research papers. fessors would go wireless if they that “meet students where they are.” This process depends on the cooper- could. There are still those who like Colvin argued for the use of social ation of professors who require such to pop in and pick up the physical computing—the virtual aspect of papers, as well as the knowledge of item.” Another argument in favor of what we are doing in a physical which students have taken the bibli- CDs is the increasing di- space—as the way of the ography course. The great value of versity of the curriculum. An argument future. Inevitably, this this assessment tool is that it pro- In this regard, Rebecca in favor of CDs brought up the possibility duces good, concrete results. Littman (University of is the increasing of having too much infor- Copyright may well be a hot Wisconsin, Milwaukee) diversity of the mation. The potential dan- topic, but it is also a frustrating one, observed that streaming curriculum gers of librarians “invading and it made for tepid discussion at resources have little to do student spaces” were on this session. The first issue raised with courses in global pop many minds, and a few was the problem of gaining permis- music, for example. Further issues graphic anecdotes were offered. sion before placing photocopies of associated with streaming ser - However, Colvin and others empha- scores on reserve. The challenge vices were discussed at length. sized the teaching opportunities here, most agreed, is that there is not McTyre noted the paucity of cata- inherent in social computing and an easy way of getting permission— loging records for these items, to stressed the importance of contacting and so much depends on the priori- which Tim Savage (OCLC) re- students only after they have con- ties of individual universities and sponded with information on a unit tacted you. In short, they counseled, councils. When the discussion turned he uses for cataloging. Tim is cur- “be casual but professional.” Re - to the larger issue of fair use, Gordon rently in the planning stages regard- garding other kinds of social soft- Theil (University of California Los ing the creation and sharing of the ware, several participants described Angeles) spoke with conviction MARC records. Several participants their experiences using library blogs about the role librarians should be stressed the importance of access to in conjunction the course manage- playing: “We should be doing more. the highest level of streaming, noting ment software of willing professors. There are guidelines describing the that the service is hardly an advan- They explained that blogging pro- appropriate use of digital materials, tage if it allows only 3–5 simultane- vides librarians a way of posting an- and we should argue strenuously for ous users. It is important, they nouncements, asking questions, and student access to digital audio re- added, to determine the value of getting feedback without the physi- serves. We are here to provide electronic streaming resources by ex- cal presence of students in the li- modes of access. We are mediators. amining the statistics. And when brary. Also recommended was the We are not the problem.” To pro- there are huge jumps in usage, the use of meebo (http://wwwl.meebo mote the discussion of these and administrators should hear about it. .com), and of instant messaging as other copyright issues, the Alexander Gordon Theil concluded this part of a favorable alternative to virtual ref- Street Press has set up an advisory the discussion by describing “the erence. Un familiar to many, Media group inclusive of librarians who will problem of perpetual ownership”: “If Site (http://www.mediasite.com) “help shape the debate.” libraries stop buying certain labels, continued on page 8

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