Uniform Titles for Music explains the concept and practice of uniform titles for musical works by a single composer and works of unknown or collective authorship. The book provides a step-by-step approach to establishing uniform titles.
Basic Music Reference is a quick-start guide designed to introduce library employees to the basic tools and techniques involved in answering questions related to music. As in every specialist subject area, music has its own terminology, but unlike most, it also has a multitude of formatson paper and other materialsas well as special notation and frequent use of foreign languages in titles and texts. These features make it particularly difficult for library employees to answer users questions and thus a guide such as this one is essential. Not all libraries with a music collection can afford to hire a music reference librarian. Even libraries with such a specialist rely on support staff and student employees to answer questions when the music librarian is not available. Whatever the scenario, this volume will serve as a helpful training tool for library employees to learn about the basic music reference tools, and to develop the techniques of greatest use when answering the most common types of music-related questions
In Directions in Music Cataloging, ten of the field’s top theoreticians and practitioners address the issues that are affecting the discovery and use of music in libraries today. Anyone who uses music in a library—be it a teacher, researcher, student, or casual amateur—relies on the work of music catalogers, and because these catalogers work with printed and recorded materials in a wide variety of formats, they have driven many innovations in providing access to library materials. As technology continues to transform the discovery and use of music, they are exploring ways to describe and provide access to music resources in a digital age. It is a time of flux in the field of music cataloging, and never has so much change come so quickly. The roots of today’s issues lie in the past, and the first part of the volume opens with two articles by Richard P. Smiraglia that establish the context of modern music cataloging through research conducted in the early 1980s. The second part explores cataloging theory in its current state of transition, and the concluding part looks to the future by considering the application of emerging standards. The volume closes with a remembrance of A. Ralph Papakhian (1948–2010), the most prominent music cataloger of the past thirty years—a figure who initiated many of the developments covered in the volume and who served as a teacher and mentor for all of the contributors.
At lasta manual that takes the chore out of cataloging sound recordings! The author clarifies the AACR2 rules (Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2nd edition) and literally steps through the thought process used in cataloging a sound recording, beginning with what to use as the source for the title, through the physical description and series information. All the examples of catalog cards presented, ranging from the full gamut of 20th century music to spoken records and compact discs, show the full level of descriptive cataloging. The appendixes make this a practical worker's manual; they include order and content of cataloging notes, order of parts in a uniform title, a glossary of musical terms and acronyms, a list of basic reference books and thematic indexes, a complete set of catalog cards, and the Library of Congress rule interpretations for sound recordings. The detailed indexes enhance this important book's utility.
Library music materials require a more complex shelflisting approach than books in order to account for extremely prolific composers, works with generic titles, opus numbers, and thematic index numbers. Shelflisting Music provides clear, straightforward instructions and flowcharts to guide the cataloger through the process of shelflisting music—whether in score or recorded format—enabling anyone to produce call numbers that are consistent, accurate, and in accordance with standard Library of Congress "M" classification practices. After a brief explanation of the conceptual basis of music shelflisting, Richard P. Smiraglia brings together and clarifies shelflisting practices that are otherwise difficult to find or understand, providing concise and easy-to-follow instructions for assigning shelflist numbers. Smiraglia also includes a glossary of terms, as well as flowcharts to illustrate the process graphically. This small, easily accessible book can be kept by a computer workstation and consulted quickly for shelflisting guidance by anyone who catalogs music materials, from novices to experts.
Discussions are designed to expand the music cataloger's understanding of publishing practices peculiar to sheet music. While much of the content emphasizes the description of the music, there are also sections devoted to subject access to illustrations, first-line/chorus/refrain text, illustrators, engravers, and publishers, and extensive reproductions of title pages from the 18th through mid-20th centuries, accompanied by examples of the cataloging, are also included.
A Guide to Library Research in Music introduces the process and techniques for researching and writing about music. This informative textbook provides concrete examples of different types of writing, offering a thorough introduction to music literature. It clearly describes various information-searching techniques and library-based organizational systems and introduces the array of music resources available. Each chapter concludes with learning exercises to aid the students' concept application and skill development. Appendixes provide short cuts to specific topics in library organizational systems, including Library of Congress Subject Headings and Classification. The concluding bibliography provides a quick overview of music literature and resources, emphasizing electronic and print publications since 2000, but including standard references that all music researchers should know.
When patrons use a library catalogue, they seek information without regard to the library's cataloguing technology. It is crucial then that bibliographic records provide complete, detailed information on each item no matter what process or media format is in place.