Books in the Music Library Association Basic Manual Series series

Due to the distinctive nature of music as a separate "e;language"e; that non-musicians are often unable to read or understand, the cataloging and classification of music materials frequently present special challenges. In response to this often problematic situation, this volume is designed to introduce the principles of music classification to beginning music catalogers, as well as to non-specialist catalogers, and those who only occasionally deal with music materials. It will surely relieve the stress level for general catalogers by providing practical guidelines as well as clarifying and explaining the most commonly used classification systems in the United States-the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), the Library of Congress Classification (LCC), and the Alpha-Numeric System for Classification of Recordings (ANSCR).Also included is a general historical overview of music classification, from early attempts to organize specific collections, to the efforts of Oscar Sonneck and others to adapt fundamental principles of classification to the distinctive characteristics of music materials; as well as a discussion of the special needs of the users of those materials.

The performance librarian is the person responsible for managing, maintaining, and organizing the resources of a performance library. This personnel can now benefit from A Manual for the Performance Library, a guide for organizing and operating a library of music performance materials.Music for performance has different needs than music for study. It must be easy to read and understand, and it must be formatted so as not to impede the musician's efforts to interpret the notes into musical sound. This book outlines, step-by-step, the ways of acquiring, processing, cataloging, and preparing music for performance. While focusing primarily on music for large ensembles, like orchestra and chorus, author Russ Girsberger also includes concepts that apply to wind, jazz, and chamber ensembles. The material is logically organized, detailing information on purchasing or renting music; cataloging and processing scores; numbering, marking, binding and shelving parts; and preparing and distributing the music for rehearsal or performance. Additional duties, such as describing necessary information on preparing concert programs and audition lists, and caring for and preserving the library's holdings are also covered. The manual concludes with a glossary, an annotated bibliography, and an appendix, which features sample forms for cataloging and circulating the library's materials.

Because music publishing and distribution are largely outside the network of publishers and vendors that libraries use to acquire most of their monographs, there are many inherent difficulties faced by librarians and library staff whose jobs include the acquisition of printed or recorded music. Because of the international nature of the music publishing industry, libraries must often acquire their music stock from many countries and in multiple languages. Fling offers a how-to guide that addresses these issues and provides answers on where and how to acquire these materials. Key features include: Publication and distribution avenues for both printed and recorded music, Directories of vendors that specialize in particular types of music, Techniques for ordering music and dealing with music approval plans, Sources and techniques for finding secondhand and out-of-print music, How to acquire dissertations and microfilm and photographic reproductions of early-music resource, an extended glossary of specialized English and foreign-language terms that appear on published music, publishers' catalogs, and music bibliographies A comprehensive bibliography lists print and Web music resources, including manuals and journals of music librarianship; music editing, publishing, and library acquisitions; directories of music libraries and information centers, record labels, and vendors; music-in-print sources; and national bibliographies of music. The bibliography also contains information on general library acquisitions.

Sound recordings have existed since the last quarter of the 19th century, and libraries have collected them since the early 20th century.