papers read at the joint meeting of the american library association and the music library...
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Address of WelcomeAuthor(s): Charles WilliamsonSource: Notes, Vol. 5, Papers Read at the Joint Meeting of the American Library Associationand the Music Library Association, Columbia University, June 22, 1937 (Nov., 1937), pp. 5-7Published by: Music Library AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/890374 .
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Address of W'elcome
by Charles Williamson
I am vory glad to have the privilege of extending a welcome on behalf
of Columbia University, and especially its libraries and the School of Library
Service, to members of the Music Library Association* Last Saturday was
"Columbia Day" for tho Special Libraries Association which had boon holding
its annual conference in Now York during the week, and I had the pleasure of
welcoming thom and making a few remarks on the significance of spoecial lib-
raries.
Obviously you music librarians are specializing just as definitely
and just as offectively as are the groups within the Special Libraries Assoc-
iation that are especially concerned with libraries dealing with the subjects
of commerce and finance, science and technology, religion, journalism or
museums. It is interesting to note that specialized libraries in certain
fields, such as medicine, law, music, have thoir own independent national
associations, while in other fields of considerable importance they are
dealing with their common problems through subgroups of the Special Libraries
Association. The American Library Association also represents a kind of
federation of specialized groups.
Specialization is the lavw of life, development and survival. An
individual who docs not specialize in something is necessarily ineffective
and not likely to survive in the competitive process. On the other hand
also ho may carry specialization so far that ho may lose out, if his special-
ty should fail to be in demand.
It is much the samo with libraries. A library that does not special-
izc can be nothing morc than a collection of books or of junk. It is truc
that we have what we call general libraries, and some of them are indeed only
collections of junk. Eveon if they deal with a wide range of subject matter
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thoey must have some special ond to servo. A woll organizod public library, like
a largo university library, spocializos in its collections and services in many
directions.
Wo havo no usc for librarics and librarians that do not roprosont some kind
of specialization. Somc of us specializo in ono thing; somC in another - and vw
may change our specialty. Your specialty is library scrviceo in the realm of music,
Mine at the present timo is in tho goneral administration of a congeries of
specialtios more or loss related. I know nothing about music or musical literature
but I imagine that your special problems arc aftor all not so very different from
those of librarians in other fields.
Let us see. What are your spocial materials which you have to care for
and so-:-v to your public? Books, films, slides are common to nearly all. Music
scores and phonograph records do present unique problems in the techniques of
cataloging, binding and filing.
You need a special code of rules for the cataloging of your special matoria
and a special sot of subject headings for your whole field and I am interested to
note that you have committees at work on both. Your bibliographical problems
haveo much in common with those faoced by libraries in other subjects. You must
have keys to unlock the literature of your subject. So you, in common with many
other groups, are demanding indexes and union catalogs.
In the School of Library Service we attempt to give the student the basic
information, attitudes and skills which ho will need for effective service, no
matter what direction his specialization may take. We also, oven in the first-
year curriculum, and very definitely in the second year, lay emphasis on speciali-
zation. From time to time we add now specialized courses. This sunmior for the
first time we arc offering a course in law library service. I shall bo pleased
if in the near future we can announce some specific training for those who look
forward to music library work. As a matter of fact we are alroady able to do
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something. Next year Mr. Angell is to give a course in the Music Department on tho
Bibliography of M.usic and Musical Literature. That will bo of special value to
library school students. Also in Mir. Angell's department of the University Library
we are going to bo able to give library school students some practical acquaintance
with the special methods and problems of music libraries.
Cataloguing of Music,
a report of progress for the Committee on a code for Cataloguing Music, by
Eva J. 0tMkcara. (Much shortenod)
In the revision of the Catalogue Rules of the American Library Associa-
tion the rules for music are to be revised and extended. Your Cataloguing
Commuittee is working wiith the Sub-Committee of the A.L.A. Committee on Code
Revision. Our Plan is to prepare a general handbook on the cataloguing of music;
for this the M.usic Library Association is to bo responsible. Cortain rules will
be included in the A.L.A. Code; the rest - mattors of detail, problems peculiar
to music where thero is no vwell-ostabli - will bo loft to the handbook where
thoy can bo treated more at length and with greator freedom. If this handbook
is put into circulation for two or three yoe.rs in tentativo form, tried out in
various libraries, and then given final revision, thero should at last bo a
standard of practice for the cataloguing of music for use both in general lib-
rarios and in special music libraries.
The Chairman of the A.L.A. Committee on Code Revision has given his
approval to this plan. A very practical advantage of it has been that from
the two committoes a small working coaumittoo that could m.oot frequently could
be formed. Three of us, sometimoe with one or two others, have hold monthly
meetings, usually in Now York, once in New Haven.
The Committee is trying to devise a set of rules that will be acceptable
something. Next year Mr. Angell is to give a course in the Music Department on tho
Bibliography of M.usic and Musical Literature. That will bo of special value to
library school students. Also in Mir. Angell's department of the University Library
we are going to bo able to give library school students some practical acquaintance
with the special methods and problems of music libraries.
Cataloguing of Music,
a report of progress for the Committee on a code for Cataloguing Music, by
Eva J. 0tMkcara. (Much shortenod)
In the revision of the Catalogue Rules of the American Library Associa-
tion the rules for music are to be revised and extended. Your Cataloguing
Commuittee is working wiith the Sub-Committee of the A.L.A. Committee on Code
Revision. Our Plan is to prepare a general handbook on the cataloguing of music;
for this the M.usic Library Association is to bo responsible. Cortain rules will
be included in the A.L.A. Code; the rest - mattors of detail, problems peculiar
to music where thero is no vwell-ostabli - will bo loft to the handbook where
thoy can bo treated more at length and with greator freedom. If this handbook
is put into circulation for two or three yoe.rs in tentativo form, tried out in
various libraries, and then given final revision, thero should at last bo a
standard of practice for the cataloguing of music for use both in general lib-
rarios and in special music libraries.
The Chairman of the A.L.A. Committee on Code Revision has given his
approval to this plan. A very practical advantage of it has been that from
the two committoes a small working coaumittoo that could m.oot frequently could
be formed. Three of us, sometimoe with one or two others, have hold monthly
meetings, usually in Now York, once in New Haven.
The Committee is trying to devise a set of rules that will be acceptable
This content downloaded from 62.122.76.60 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 07:06:25 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions