IAML International Association of Music Libraries

The 2004 annual meeting was held jointly with the Association dealing with Intellectual Property Rights (SUISA). It was followed in May by a visit by IAML-members where a presentation and a conference with discussion took place. In conclusion a general agreement was reached involving copyright issues on reproduction of printed music and sound recordings in music libraries and archives. This agreement will now spread out as soon as each interested public institution has signed it.

As far as copyright is concerned, some open questions are still on the table: a new law is now discussed about copyright in the digital environment; difficulties in studying contemporary music in Conservatories and music schools, due to high copyright costs, are not yet overcome.

In 2004, seven “Musikhochschulen” joined the Swiss branch of IAML as new members, as they now opened libraries with a research department. A working group has been established focussing on the exchange of rare materials and interlibrary loan and for building competence centres.

The Swiss National Sound Archive in Lugano published inventories of those donations, part of which are preserved elsewhere. The information on sound recordings preserved in the Swiss National Sound Archive is now linked to the inventories of printed materials preserved in other libraries or archives.

Pio Pellizzari
President, IAML (Switzerland)

• More reports for 2004