IAML Leipzig Congress Diary #1: Glasgow to Leipzig, IAML 2018

The first congress diary sharing an aspect of the 2018 IAML Congress in Leipzig is by Dr. Karen McAulay (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). It was originally published in Dr. McAulay's blog and has been republished here with permission:

Now safely back from the IAML Congress at Leipzig, I have to get back into harness at the workplace tomorrow. I gave my paper about our CFSH network on Thursday afternoon – well-attended, and well-received. It was a good week – plenty of interesting papers with a music library focus.  The story of Peters (the publisher) music library was particularly fascinating, to name but one.  During the week, one couldn’t help reflecting how often politics and wars have divided, relocated or destroyed precious collections. The Peters collection became Hinrichsen, then Peters again, was in state and then private and then state hands … a complex narrative, to be sure.

I attended a seminar about the mechanics of entering an original source on RISM, and heard an update about RILM.  I also fell in love with a digital music app, visited the National Library, saw Bach’s Thomaskirche and attended three concerts. All in baking heat – on my final night, it was 33 degrees at 11 pm!

Now, all that remains is to sift through all my notes, publishers’ catalogues, receipts etc … and I have my Outlook inbox to “look forward” to, tomorrow….