Letter of Support from Maria Calderisi regarding the Music and Theatre Library of Sweden

"To the Swedish Minister of Culture:

I was shocked and dismayed to receive the following message via the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres (IAML). We have always looked to Sweden as one of the more progressive countries in the world, with a wonderful reputation for its attention to arts and culture and learning. How can it be true that the services of the National Music and Theatre Library will be so drastically limited? Can it be that Sweden will follow the example of some of the less-enlightened countries in this regard. I have long valued the contributions of library staff such as Anders Lönn, Veslemöy Heinz and Inger Enquist in our international community, as well as their friendship.

Please reconsider this decision; find your shortfall elsewhere; and allow the library to function fully professionally, at a national and international level, as Sweden’s library for music, dance and theatre.

Maria Calderisi, former president of IAML,

Ottawa, Canada

"The library of the Royal Academy of Music (Musikaliska Akademien) was founded in 1771. For almost 250 years it has served as the national music library, today named Musik- och teaterbibliotek; it is Sweden’s only public specialized music library. In 1922 and 1937 the Drottningholm Theatre museum and the Drottningholm Theatre library were founded. The collections of these historically and culturally significant institutions are preserved at the Musik- ochteaterbibliotek, under the umbrella authority of Statens musikverk.

On Tuesday 5 February, Stina Westerberg, General Director of Statens musikverk, announced her decision for budget cutbacks at the library:

· The post of Chief Librarian will be removed

· Staff posts to be cut will also include 2 librarians,1 archivist and 3 assistant librarians

If carried out, this decision will have an extremely negative effect on Swedish music and theatre culture. The decision will also make it well-nigh impossible to continue the professional work required to maintain the library’s unique and world-famous collections which are part of Swedish cultural heritage. If we cannot prevent these cutbacks, library services will inevitably deteriorate drastically, having a negative effect upon its many national and international readers and users, including orchestras, students, musicians, researchers and the general public. We fear that the currently modest opening hours will have to be further reduced. And the behind-the-scenes work of acquisitions, cataloguing and preservation will also suffer."