IAML newsletter

IAML99, Wellington, New Zealand

Commission on Service and Training

Reported by Mary Kay Duggan

Wednesday July 21, 9:15-10:45
Music Library Education Around the Globe

The session addressed the position of music in particular curricula in New Zealand and the United States, and a new policy for the inclusion of music in library education in France. The first speaker was Rowena Cullen, Head of the School of Communications and Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. She began by emphasizing that the music graduate who needs specialist training to enter the field of music librarianship needs a theoretical understanding of the music publication world, both classical and popular. That desirable education does not exist today in an era of diminishing career opportunities for music librarians and Ms. Cullen voiced interest in sharing resources internationally through web-based programs. She then described the existing segment on music that forms a part of a general reference course at Victoria University that is directed at graduates with little knowledge or understanding of the field who may find that music is a significant part of their future position. Basic training in musical forms is accompanied by an introduction to musical terminology required for use of major reference tools and indexes.

Dominique Hausfater (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, France) described the new proposal of ENSSIB (Ecole nationale supérieure des sciences de l'information et bibliothèques) to include for the first time in the education of future curators of French state-owned libraries a short introduction to music in libraries. Ms. Hausfater herself was invited to make the new three-hour presentation to students that would introduce the profession of music librarianship to those students who elected the subject. Students themselves provided the impetus for ENSSIB's addition of music to the curriculum in what Ms. Hausfater called an historic step for music librarianship in France. She pointed out a need for continuing education for those who, because of the previous omission of music education, are now in charge of music collections despite lack of training. There is no assurance that ENSSIB's addition of music to the curriculum is a permanent change.

Finally, a presentation via the Internet was made by Nancy Weckwerth (California State University, Los Angeles, United States) in a multimedia presentation from Los Angeles that included her speaking voice. A course for non-professional music librarians was developed by music librarian John Thornbury and Ms. Weckwerth who is skilled in distance learning software for the World Wide Web. The course is designed for those working in libraries or with music organizations with music collections, and it introduces acquisitions and web sites for vendors, MARC cataloging and web resources for MARC information, reference tools for online searching, and links to web sites for library professionals (MLA, IAML, etc.) . While students complete the course offsite, they are required to visit and assess a music library for the first assignment and to use a broad range of web resources both free and under contract to the university. The presentation ended with a discussion typed into the web course's chat line. Discussion continued in the Wellington conference room that highlighted current developments in music library education by IAML organizations, in the UK (a CD-ROM will soon be published to accompany the University of Aberystwyth's course), in the United States where the Music Library Association is moving toward provision of continuing education courses or workshops at various sites, and in Italy where a web course is under development.

Attendance was 71 people, standing room only.

Thursday, July 22, 2:15-15:45

The Commission on Service and Training co-sponsored with the Cataloguing Commission a session on programs by national IAML organizations to teach cataloging. Massimo Gentili-Tedeschi (Ufficio Ricerce Fondi, Milan) described how, with financial aid from the regional government of Lombardy, IAML provided a basic one-week course on basic music librarianship (Cataloguing and managing printed and manuscript music and sound recordings) at a site in Bergamo with 6 computers. Another three-day course on video and sound recordings was given four times last year, in Lombardy and in the Veneto where reports of its success had generated an invitation. Two further courses are scheduled this year. Since in Italy music scores are located in many kinds of libraries (private, church, conservatory, public library, mediateque), there is a broad need for knowledge of music cataloguing and management.

The second speaker, Julius Hulek (Národní Knihovna, Prague) was unable to attend. Discussion following the presentation on IAML in Italy included a description by Yosuko Todo (Japan) of workshops there with the support of OCLC. Sherry Vellucci (St. Johns University, US) described the goals and contents of her cataloguing courses and moves by MLA to deliver courses or workshops on music cataloguing in the US.

Massimo Gentili-Tedeschi also made a presentation on UNIMARC proposals for a new field for music incipits. The permanent UNIMARC Committee has established a subgroup of six for music (4 from Italy, including IAML member Agostina Zacca Laterza; Vilnius, Zagreb). UNIMARC has asked IAML to name a representative. A proposal to establish a IAML Working Group on the new field was discussed, to be taken up by the IAML Board.