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Homepage > List of Annual Reports > Annual Report 1998 IAML (UK) Annual Report 1998CONTENTS Appendix 1: The British Library: strategic review. IAML(UK) response Appendix 2: Comprehensive Spending Review: A new approach to investment in culture. Department for Culture, Media and Sport. IAML(UK) response IAML(UK) Executive Committee
1998 Sir Peter Maxwell Davies President’s Report Ruth Hellen I approached the writing of my first IAML(UK) Annual Report with some trepidation, having heard successive Presidents telling of word processing far into the night. I have also acted as Roger Taylor’s spellcheck for the last two years, so had some idea of the amount of work involved. It is a great responsibility to produce a report which accurately conveys the Branch’s activities during the year; it is also extremely humbling to realise yet again the astounding achievements of IAML(UK) members working purely on a voluntary basis. I must first pay tribute to the Immediate Past President, Roger Taylor, although no IAML(UK) member will be unaware of his outstanding contribution to music librarianship both in the UK and internationally. In addition to being an unforgettable President for the last three years, he has brought together music librarians in countries where our colleagues’ hardships put anything we may suffer into the shade, has increased our knowledge of these colleagues’ circumstances and has ensured that library managers and government ministers in the UK are aware of the importance of music, and music libraries, to the cultural life of the nation. He richly deserved to be awarded his Library Association Centenary Medal and we heartily congratulate him on this honour. Another Past President honoured this year was Pam Thompson, who was elected as President of IAML, our parent organisation. She has consistently championed the causes of music librarianship around the world, has faithfully served IAML in several capacities and is a deservedly popular President. We offer her our very best wishes for her term of office. The end of the year has been clouded by the death of John May, President of the Branch from 1980 to 1983. John was largely responsible for the shape of today’s Branch; he continued to take an active interest in the work of IAML and to make a real contribution in meetings and conferences. He will be sadly missed. An obituary will be published in Brio in May 1999. Earlier in the year we were sorry to hear of the death of Derek Lewis, who was the BBC’s Gramophone Librarian for nearly 30 years and presided over the growth of the library. An obituary appeared in the July 1998 Gramophone. Thinking of colleagues such as these reminds us that we owe it
to them to continue the work of providing excellence in music
libraries. The work and achievements of other colleagues
are detailed in this report, which reveals that over 25% of IAML(UK)
members are involved in committees, project groups and other working
groups. I was privileged to report this level of commitment
to the international IAML Conference in San Sebastian in June,
where delegates were impressed by the determination of music librarians
in the UK, often against the odds, to bring music to the people
who need it. Co-operation and contradictions A notable strand running through all the government papers on libraries this year has been that of co-operation, particularly cross-sectoral collaboration. Music Libraries Online, which will bring together the catalogues of conservatoire and university music libraries, is a prime example of this kind of work, as the declared intention is to bring national, broadcasting and public libraries into the scheme in the third phase. It is contradictory, therefore, that co-operation between libraries is being threatened by lack of resources and by local government reorganisation. The division of Berkshire into six authorities, and the subsequent arrangements for supporting the Music and Drama Library in Reading, has left the people of Wokingham without free access to music and drama sets, a service to which they were previously entitled. Protests from local groups, individuals and organisations such as IAML(UK) have not persuaded the authority to commit funding to this service, so an accident of geography now threatens the activities of societies in this area. The future of the Performing Arts Library in Surrey is still uncertain, with a feasibility study being carried out to find a new location to keep the service together. The support shown by the Users’ Group has been tremendous and very encouraging for the library staff. In times of trouble the support of those we serve is vital. I was pleased to be able to speak to music society members from all over the UK at the National Federation of Music Societies annual conference, but was struck by the dissatisfaction felt by local musicians in areas where reorganisation or funding cuts have left societies without cost-effective access to music. There is a mistaken view that music and drama societies are elitist; on the contrary, they actively contribute to social inclusion and to the much-trumpeted provision of access to culture for all. We do our best to publicise the services provided by local libraries, but provision of what should be a core service is patchy in the extreme. It is ironic that, while music is increasingly being recognised as an important influence on life-long learning, access to music in libraries is being eroded. Libraries are not alone in suffering from this trend. The provision of music in schools is diminishing, threatening children’s access to music and therefore the future of musical life in this country. IAML(UK) members felt sufficiently strongly about this to send a letter to the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, stressing the importance of music as a core subject in primary schools. Representations by many musicians and organisations resulted in a certain amount of backtracking by the Government, but the situation still requires careful monitoring. Last year’s report highlighted the closure of the Welsh Music Information Centre owing to the withdrawal of funding from the Welsh Office. IAML(UK) has been assured by the Senior Music Officer of the Arts Council of Wales that serious consideration is being given to reinstating a national music information service in Wales and we look forward to further news. We live in strange times - on the one hand we hear of many funding opportunities for new and exciting initiatives, and this is most encouraging, but on the other hand the basic services which our users value are constantly subject to cuts, often dressed up as restructuring. Music librarians, as ever, seem to bear the brunt of these; it is a pity that many who hold the purse strings seem unable to recognise and support excellence. We must continue to promote the message that music, as a universal
language, is an essential part of people’s lives and that music
libraries play an important role in access to music. The membership of IAML(UK) committees and working groups, listed from page 24, shows an impressive commitment to the work of the Branch. As ever, the Executive Committee takes the lead in all aspects of Branch business and we are grateful for the time given by its members. The committee membership has changed slightly, firstly with the eventual retirement (after one year’s constitutional extension) of Kenneth Wilkins as Treasurer. This is an extremely responsible role and we thank Kenneth for all his work over the last six years and for leaving us in a sound financial position. We also extend particular thanks to Alan Pope, who retired from the Executive after many years of devoted service, not least in the marathon International Standard Music Number negotiations and as Chair of Conference Committee. We have welcomed in their places Kathy Adamson, as Treasurer, and Susi Woodhouse. Kathy, in turn, has handed editorship of the Newsletter to Viv Kuphal, who published her first Newsletter in the Autumn. Jay Glasby has taken over the role of Press & PR Officer and the remaining Officers have continued to devote much time to their IAML posts: Paul Andrews (Brio Editor), Richard Buxton (Education Officer), Adrian Dover (Statistical Survey Officer), Alex Garden (Publications Officer), Siobhan Ladyman (Membership Secretary), Roger Taylor (Outreach Liaison Officer) and Margaret Roll who, as General Secretary, has the task of keeping the President in order. No-one should think that the other members of the Executive Committee have an easy time; they all make a vital contribution to the running of the Branch: Chris Banks (Chair, Documentation Committee), Julie Crawley (IAML:UK Web Site), Antony Gordon (Finance & Administration Committee), Malcolm Jones (Chair, Trade & Copyright Committee), Malcolm Lewis (Finance & Administration Committee), Peter Linnitt (Minutes Secretary), Pam Thompson (Music LIP) and Susi Woodhouse (Chair, Conference Committee). We also thank Roger Crudge and Liz Haldon for their continuing work as Honorary Auditors. Change is inevitable with so many people involved in Branch work and we record our thanks to those not previously mentioned who have completed terms of service: Julian Allen (IAML:UK Library), Andrew Baker (Convenor, C.B. Oldman Prize), David Boyd (Conference 2000 Advisory Group), Rosemary Burn (Courses and Education), Rosalind Cyphus (Documentation), Malcolm Jones (Technical advisor, Conference), Malcolm Lewis (Trade & Copyright), Stephen Morgans (Conference 2000 Management Group), Graham Muncy (Local representative, Conference). We are pleased to welcome newly appointed members of committees
and groups: C.B. Oldman Prize: Malcolm Lewis; Conference: Richard
Buxton (Local representative), Graham Muncy; Courses & Education:
Frances Metcalfe, Michaela Steele; Finance & Administration:
Simon Lay (Minutes Secretary); IAML Conference 2000 Management:
Jay Glasby; IAML Conference 2000 Advisory Group: Marian Kirton,
Martina McChrystle, Catharine Owen, Mary Sillitto, Elaine Stanier;
Outreach Project Group: Margaret Brandram; Trade & Copyright:
Ian Ledsham. Back to the Contents Page This year’s annual study weekend title Toward the Unknown Region referred of course to the programme’s content rather than the conference venue, Surrey University. Subjects covered ranged from dance and performance arts to the latest developments in IT and to the music of Vaughan Williams; yet the challenge of weaving these threads together was readily accepted by all our speakers. An invigorating keynote address Music in Education given by Keith Willis was followed by sessions on electronic music, the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, the National Resource Centre for Dance and Ralph Vaughan Williams at Charterhouse to name but a few... Our decision to expand Report and Information into two sessions, one devoted entirely to technical issues, proved popular with the delegates and will be repeated at next year’s study weekend. Saturday afternoon activities were many and varied. While some members opted for a practical internet training session on campus, others chose from outside visits to the Cobbe Keyboard Collection, a tour of Guildford Cathedral or the Leith Hill Festival concert rehearsal. Alternatively, here was the perfect opportunity for a cream tea and a spot of sightseeing in Guildford or, for some, a meeting of the Conference 2000 committee. An evening of dance brought Saturday’s whirl of activity to a close as Christine and Ellis Rogers spoke about and demonstrated popular Victorian dances such as the quadrille and schottische. Audience participation was encouraged, but rather sadly revealed that a qualification in music librarianship does not preclude two left feet! Most IAML members would agree that social networking provides the key to a successful annual study weekend. This year the ‘buzz’ began on Friday afternoon and continued non stop until Monday lunchtime, be it in the exhibition area, the bar, the dining room or the various walkways in between. For me, it was especially rewarding to see the way our newcomers threw themselves wholeheartedly into the ‘ASW experience’ - midnight walk included. Their full and frank accounts of the weekend are to be found in the August 1998 Newsletter and make very entertaining reading. Our team for the 1998 conference was led by Alan Pope with Graham
Muncy as local representative. We extend our thanks to Alan
for his hard work and creative input during his time at the helm,
and we wish him every success now that he has stepped down to
devote his energies to studying for a degree in German and Publishing.
We also thank Malcolm Jones who was co-opted for his technical
expertise. As I write this plans are well under way for
the forthcoming 1999 study weekend at York and Ripon St John.
We welcome Susi Woodhouse who has returned to chair the group,
Graham Muncy who joins the committee proper and Richard Buxton
as local representative. As always, we welcome your input; it
is never too late to contact us with ideas and suggestions for
subjects to discuss. After a long gestation period the leaflet Working in a Music Library appeared in late summer 1998, and is available from either the Secretary or the Publications Officer. Some other overdue projects made progress during the year, thanks to the administrative persistence of secretary Margaret Brandram and the efforts of other members of the committee. The Everything you need to know about music... course reappeared as Music for the terrified at Birmingham in June. Its success was due largely to the preparation of Linda Marsden and Liz Hart and the attentive hosting of John Gough. In December the Music Faculty at Oxford was the venue for a course on Advanced reference sources, excellently prepared and delivered by John Wagstaff and Julie Crawley. The enthusiastic reaction to both these courses suggests that repeat performances should be arranged before too long. Liz Bird deserves thanks for once again organising the Academic
Music Librarians’ meeting at Birmingham in May; Katharine Hogg
reported on Music Libraries Online, Richard Turbet gave an account
of the Stationers’ Hall Collection at Aberdeen, and there were
discussions on academic music library standards (and their relevance
for Quality Assessments) and the possibility of non-formula funding
for specific projects. Rosemary Burn has retired from the Committee
with our thanks for several years of valuable service and we are
delighted to welcome Michaela Steele and Frances Metcalfe as new
members. The close of 1998 saw the publication of the second edition of
the British Union Catalogue of Music Periodicals (BUCOMP2).
Of the 3692 titles in the second edition, 1619 did not appear
in BUCOMP1. There are a further 1269 cross references from variant
forms of the titles and, in all, publications of over 60 countries
are represented in the new edition. BUCOMP2 was compiled by members
of the Documentation Committee of IAML(UK) from 1994 to 1997 under
the tireless overall editorship of John Wagstaff but it could
not have been completed without the unfailing assistance of all
libraries who responded to requests for information about their
holdings – a truly collaborative venture from which we will all
benefit. We are still seeking to find a permanent home for the UK's contribution
to Répertoire International de Littérature Musicale
[RILM]. Tim Carter, Professor of Music at the University of
London, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, has submitted
an application to the Arts and Humanities Research Board for the
funding of a UK RILM co-ordinator post to be located at Royal
Holloway. In the meantime Richard Chesser of the BL has continued
to send citations for UK monographs to the New York RILM offices,
ensuring that they are up to date with details of publications
pending the submission of abstracts. We hope that in the long
run it will be possible to supply full abstracts of these. John
Wagstaff co-ordinates the abstracts for periodicals, supported
by Almut Boehme, Roger Duce (NLS) and Melanie Groundsell (Reading
University Library), and Andrew Bennett (Pendlebury Library, Cambridge)
co-ordinates those for theses. The absence of comprehensive citation
and abstracting of the UK research output in RILM continues to
hinder the dissemination of this information to the international
research community. The fact that RILM has now achieved currency
in publication makes it all the more frustrating that the UK research
output is no longer adequately represented. Back to the Contents page Trade and Copyright Malcolm Jones There has been a change of direction in the work of the Committee. IAML(UK) was offered representation on the LA Joint Consultative Committee on Copyright, and this was gratefully accepted. It is therefore no longer necessary for branch members to attempt to keep up-to-date on all copyright issues, and at the same time we have a forum in which issues of specific relevance to Music Librarians can be raised. The Committee has therefore turned from copyright to the "trade"
side of its work. A meeting has been arranged with the Music Publishers’
Association (the start, we hope, of better relations) specifically
to address: ISMN issues, a re-issue of the Code of Practice on
copying, the MPA's Music in Print catalogue and other items of
interest. The Committee is also looking at EDI for printed music,
and the issues for library/trade co-operation around the ISRC
and ISWC standards. 1998 was a good year for Brio. I ended last year's report with a note that, whilst the quality of contributions had been extremely high in 1997, the quantity had actually declined sharply. I expressed the hope that in 1998, I would be in the position of having more articles than I could accommodate in the journal. Perhaps as a result of this plea, or maybe just a coincidence, 1998 has been a bumper year, and I have several pieces in reserve, and a few ideas besides, for Volume 36. Vol. 35 No.1 saw impressive contributions from Ian Ledsham on the new distance learning course in music librarianship at Aberystwyth, a note on Music Libraries Online, and Richard Andrewes' regular, and invaluable, bibliography of reference sources in music. Vol. 35 No.2 contained important articles on Ravel by Nigel Simeone, Beethoven by Michael Freyhan, Oxford University Press by Simon Wright, Russian music libraries by Pam Thompson and a Tudor footnote from Richard Turbet. In addition to all this, of course, there were the usual reviews and John Wagstaff's list of recent articles. As ever, I am delighted to express my thanks to Chris Grogan (reviews editor) and Linda Anthony (advertisements manager) for the enormously valuable work they have done over the year, and to BH Typesetters and Designers for continuing to produce the journal to such a high standard, at a very reasonable cost. The value of one regular feature of Brio was brought home to me with some force when circumstances forced me to omit it. Because of the late date of the 1998 IAML(UK) AGM, and knowing that there would be several new Officers and Executive Committee members, I decided to leave out the list of these luminaries from Vol. 35 No.1. This resulted in a letter of rebuke from a distinguished honorary member of the branch, so to 'disgusted former IAML President of Bristol' my humble apologies, and it won't happen again! Plans are in hand for Volume 36, the last in this millennium,
and my last as editor. As I write this, the process of appointing
a successor has already begun. I hope that there will be no shortage
of candidates for the best job in IAML(UK) - with this Association's
superabundance of talent, there certainly shouldn't be. Following last year’s annual report on the IAML(UK) Library I was congratulated by the then President, Roger Taylor, on introducing a little Latin (and, by implication, a bit of culture) to the document. This year’s report, while, I hope, being of equal cultural value to its predecessor, lacks that particular linguistic refinement. But be that as it may, it is pleasing to be able to report an increase in the number of users of the library (from 11 last year to 17 in this) and in the number of items borrowed (66, as compared with 30 in 1997). In addition, two requests for information (rather than for particular items) were satisfied by means of the library’s resources. The inception of Aberystwyth’s distance learning module in music librarianship has resulted in enquiries from a number of students, which is extremely heartening. Last year’s report noted that a listing of the library’s resources on the World Wide Web was a priority. This list, arranged for the present alphabetically by author, is now available at http://www.music.ox.ac.uk/library/iamllib.htm Although it would of course be good to have a subject listing, the catalogue as a whole does not take long to browse through, and I hope that at least for the moment its users are prepared to tolerate the inconvenience of not having a full subject inventory. Those without WWW access will continue to find lists of latest acquisitions in the Branch Newsletter and a full print-out of the catalogue may be obtained from the Publications Officer. IAML(UK)’s support for the library was higher, in financial terms, than ever before, with the Branch making £500 available for new purchases. There is still plenty of material to be bought and the fact that the library has not, in the event, spent all the money allocated to it this year is due more to pressures of work than to a lack of suitable material. This pressure will, with luck, soon cease, and buying begin again in earnest. It was good to be able to add some librarianship dissertations and theses to the collection this year, not least because it proves that students are still undertaking such work, much of it of excellent quality. The library continues to receive the newsletters and journals of IAML branches in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain, and can justifiably be regarded as the first port of call for anyone seeking up-to-date or historical materials on music librarianship. Donations from members of IAML continue to be welcome, and please don’t forget the library’s “Adopt a book” scheme, whereby you can contribute in whole or part to an item on the library’s desiderata list. Back to the Contents page After several years of sometimes frenetic activity, 1998 has in some ways been a time of taking stock, assessing what we have achieved (and where we have failed), and considering strategies for the future. There have been some continuities: we continue to donate copies of Brio to IAML colleagues and institutions abroad and copies of the Newsletter continue to be donated reciprocally to other IAML Branches. [Details in Publication Officer’s report] Also, as in previous years we have sent Annual Study Weekend programmes to colleagues throughout central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. It was a particular pleasure in 1998 to welcome some new friends and old - from Croatia, The Czech Republic, Latvia (2 delegates) and Macedonia (the last two being countries represented at ASWs for the first time). Following the ASW, the Branch has been invited by our Latvian colleagues to send a representative to Riga to advise in detail about plans for Latvian music library development. The reciprocal value of ASW attendance to both our colleagues and ourselves cannot be over-estimated. We continue to be indebted to The British Council and Open Society Foundations for funding the attendance by our guests, and this remains for the Branch both a rewarding and an extremely cost-effective international outreach initiative. As Outreach Liaison Officer, I have attended two conferences, one of which involved a fortnight-long visit to Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia. In May I was invited to attend, speak and exhibit at an international conference of library associations convened by the Open Society Institute in Budapest in collaboration with several other organisations including the Council of Europe. This provided the opportunity, following the visits by Margaret Brandram and myself to respectively Zagreb (1996) and Vukovar (1997), to accept an invitation from our Croatian colleagues to travel onwards to Zagreb, and then join them in an exploratory visit to meet Slovenian colleagues in Ljubljana. A full report has been published in the Newsletter (35, August 1998, p.2-6). The conference was an opportunity not only to ensure that music librarianship was represented but also to establish new contacts in countries where IAML currently has no members. With delegates attending from all countries between the Baltics and Mongolia, plus speakers from Western Europe, North America, Central America and South Africa, this was a heaven-sent opportunity to “spread the IAML gospel”. Although music librarians were few (only Zeljka Dolic from Zagreb and myself), many representatives of national library associations and Open Society Foundations were keen to take IAML and IAML(UK) literature from our exhibition stand and deliver it to colleagues back home. By this means, and the opportunities to “network” with these senior representatives of the international library profession, we have established new correspondences with colleagues from as far afield as Belarus and Tajikistan. Indeed, in November it was possible to mail the 1999 ASW programme to 63 colleagues in 29 countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Zimbabwe. I am most grateful to Zeljka Dolic for arranging free week-long university accommodation in Zagreb, to the Open Society Institute for travel costs to Budapest, and to IAML(UK) for funding some of the remaining travel costs. A further opportunity to “network” presented itself in September, but this time involving rather less travel. I was pleased to represent the Branch at Disaster and after: the practicalities of information service in times of war and other catastrophes, a conference organised at Bristol University by the International Group of The Library Association. One particularly valuable contact made here was with the British Council manager in Bosnia and Herzegovena, who subsequently facilitated contact with the hard-pressed and hitherto isolated librarian of the Sarajevo Conservatoire. Again, I am grateful to The Music Libraries Trust for funding my attendance at this conference. Other than the visit to Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia, it has not been possible during 1998 to develop further our contacts in Albania, Bulgaria and Macedonia. With regard to our thwarted plans with Albanian colleagues, initiated and then denied by Phare (pace 1997 IAML(UK) Annual Report, pp.21-22), a second year has passed without finding any potential funding source. Comfort has been derived however by the publication within Albania of a new journal Albanian Music Information which its editor describes as a direct consequence of our Phare plans and as a first step towards the creation of an Albanian Music Information Centre. Contact too with Romania remains tenuous despite renewed enthusiasm expressed by Romanian delegates at the Budapest conference. A fascinating visit in April by Pam Thompson to Russian colleagues in Moscow and St. Petersburg has been reported in detail in Brio (Vol.35 No.2, Autumn/Winter 1998, pp.101-104). Following a lapse of several years, the Outreach Project Group
met in July and gave consideration to a strategy for future activity.
Despite correspondence with the emerging IAML Branch in Zimbabwe,
it was decided that our resources are limited and would best continue
to be devoted to European areas accessible to us more practically
and cost-effectively. Charity Know How indeed, while
rejecting an MLT bid for funds to support the visits to Croatia
and Slovenia, did recommend that we consider building upon past
explorative work particularly in Bulgaria and Macedonia. This
is under consideration as we approach 1999. IAML(UK) members again contributed articles and letters to the musical, professional and general press. These included a very interesting article by Roger Taylor entitled Regeneration time in Vukovar on his trip to Croatia for the Council of Europe (Library Association Record, September), an open letter from IAML(UK) to Tony Blair concerning music as a primary school core curricular subject (Classical Music, 9 May) and reports of the IAML(UK) seminar and survey of music sets in libraries (Library Association Record, February). A letter from Ruth Hellen concerning the contribution made by libraries to the performance of music was printed in The Times (17 January). An updated print run of membership information leaflets has been
produced, as has a new run of folders for use at courses and conferences.
The folders were generously sponsored by Rose Records and Barenreiter;
we are most grateful to them for their support. The Annual Survey of Music Libraries in the UK no.12: 1996
was published in February 1998 and is now available on the
Internet via the IAML(UK) home page. Many of the basic arrangements for the Conference 2000 were set in place during 1996 and 1997. We have continued to develop and consolidate our plans, and react to changing circumstances. I was delighted when, in April, Kathy Adamson retained her Secretaryship of the Management Committee in addition to her newfound responsibilities as Branch Treasurer. I was equally delighted to welcome Jay Glasby as Marketing Co-ordinator, and Antony Gordon as Technical Co-ordinator. Thanks are due to Stephen Morgans who, for personal reasons, has had to relinquish the Sponsorship Co-ordinator post. In the absence of a volunteer, I have assumed these duties pro tem. Due to professional reorganisations at the Mitchell Library, Glasgow, David Boyd stood down from the Advisory Group, but was replaced immediately by Elaine Stanier. Also welcomed to the Advisory Group are Marian Kirton (Napier University), Martina McChrystal (Edinburgh Music Library), Catharine Owen (Performing Arts Data Service, Glasgow University) and Mary Sillitto (Glasgow University). A combined meeting of the Management Committee and Advisory Group took place at the Guildford Annual Study Weekend (April). Peter Baxter, as his swansong gesture before relocating to Chicago, chaired a meeting of the Advisory Group in Edinburgh (May). I am delighted that Peter has expressed his wish to remain a member of the Advisory Group, perhaps as our Transatlantic agent! In August I spent two days in Edinburgh researching potential funding sources at the reference facility provided at the new Edinburgh ABSA-Scotland premises and site-visiting the University accommodation, conference and concert-hall facilities. In December the Management Committee made IAML(UK) history by convening a video-conferenced meeting involving seven members at the British Library linked extra-terrestrially with three at Edinburgh University. Technically and practically, this was most successful, effecting considerable savings of travel time and expense. Particular thanks are due to Antony Gordon and Jeremy Upton for facilitating the link-up. A mundane but necessary development was the design and printing of a dedicated Conference 2000 letterhead, utilising a copyright-free skyline image of Edinburgh Castle provided kindly by the Edinburgh Convention Bureau. Less mundane but equally necessary was a new decision on the Monday 7th August 2000 concert following the disbandment [sic.] of the Scottish Early Music Consort. We hope instead that the harpsichordist Lucy Carolan will give a recital using early keyboards from the Russell Collection accommodated at St.Cecilia Hall. Following extensive research by Pat Napier, we have also finalised an itinerary of mid-Conference tours for the afternoon of Wednesday 9th August 2000. Downright exciting was the agreement of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies CBE to become the official Patron of our Conference. He has signed a promotional letter of support which concludes: “Without the availability of music libraries, I would never have
got to know musical scores. They are absolutely essential for
the furtherance of musical knowledge and enjoyment. It is with
great pleasure therefore that I lend my support to the prestigious
Millennium conference of IAML...” 1998 has again seen an increase in members of the IAML(UK) e-mail list. There are now 97 members, compared with 76 at this time in 1997 and only 48 in 1996. The messages, like the membership, represent quality rather than quantity, with 560 messages sent via the list in the last 53 months with an average of 10 messages per month. The list remains unmoderated with only list members allowed to send messages to the list, so is as useful and relevant as we make it. The messages are archived in monthly files with the last 2 years’ files accessible via the mailbase web site: http://www.mailbase.ac.uk Information for joining the IAML(UK) e-mail list can also be obtained via the above URL. The IAML(UK) Home Page has moved, along with its compiler, to the Faculty of Music, Oxford University. Thanks should be given to John Wagstaff and Stewart Tolhurst for its successful transfer to the Faculty of Music server. The IAML(UK) Home Page has acquired some extremely useful additional links during 1998 - most notably the first web version of the Annual Survey of Music Libraries. Adrian Dover at the University of Birmingham is to be congratulated for all his hard work. The URL for the survey covering 1995-96 is: http://web.bham.ac.uk/doveral/iaml/ The IAML(UK) Library, under the strict custodianship of John Wagstaff, now also has its inventory of library stock on the web. Members are encouraged to scan the inventory and make full use of the professional literature available to them. The Music Internet Resource list is regularly up-dated and is intended to provide quick access to music internet links, as well as a range of search engines at: http://www.music.ox.ac.uk/IAML/music.html Recommendations from members for further development of the site are very welcome. Last, but foremost, links to all the above mentioned URLs are from the IAML(UK) home page itself, at the new URL: http://www.music.ox.ac.uk/IAML/ Back to the Contents page Performance Sets Provision Roger Taylor Established in May 1997 to organise the major one-day conference
Partners in Performance: Music Libraries and Performing Arts
in the Community at Birmingham Central Library (November 1997),
the Performance Sets Provision Project Group has sought to build
on the foundations set at Birmingham. Susi Woodhouse and Malcolm
Jones have given much collaborative thought to the funding implications
and opportunities regarding the systematic development of a national
union catalogue of vocal sets. Malcolm Lewis assumed responsibility
for the first of several planned follow-ups to the November 1997
conference. A one-day training course held at Cardiff Central
Library in October 1998 was targeted particularly at new unitary
local government authorities in Wales and the South-West, for
whom the provision of performance sets is a new and potentially
daunting responsibility. In the event, 17 delegates represented
Barnet, Bath and North-East Somerset, Carmarthen, Enfield, Hereford,
Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda and Swindon. A full report by Chris
Muncy will appear in the February 1999 Newsletter, which
includes a comment from a feedback sheet: “The whole programme
was put together excellently... the whole team worked well together.”
Congratulations are due to Malcolm and Chris, plus John Gough,
Graham Muncy and Stuart Waumsley. Further courses are planned
for 1999 in Birmingham and Edinburgh, plus a national “plenary”
workshop event as a direct follow-up to the 1997 conference. The C.B.Oldman Prize is awarded annually by IAML(UK) for an outstanding work of music bibliography or reference. The 1998 prize was awarded to Michael Twyman for Early lithographed music: a study based on the H. Baron collection [Farrand, 1850830398]. Professor Twyman received his prize at the Annual General Meeting and expressed his great pleasure at being honoured by music librarians. The E.T.Bryant prize, sponsored jointly by IAML(UK) and the Music
Libraries Trust, was not awarded in 1998. The EARL Music Task Group continues to make modest progress, working forward from the scoping meeting held with IAML(UK) in the autumn of 1997. An important emphasis of the group is to work in collaboration with colleagues in other sectors to ensure that best use is made of increasingly stretched resources. To this end EARL, in partnership with IAML(UK) and Music Libraries Online, supported a response to the next stage of Non-Formula Funding, and looks forward to working with colleagues in higher education to support better access to music research materials. One way will be to build an on-line directory of music resources available, and the Music Task Group is considering how best it can contribute information from public libraries. We hope, this coming year, to make progress on a directory of public library music resources, including the Greater London Audio Specialisation Scheme collections. MusicNet, a project produced and maintained by Staffordshire
Libraries, has been a major addition this year, and special thanks
are due to Andrew Baker of Staffordshire for drawing the resources
together. MusicNet is linked to EARLWeb (http://www.earl.org.uk/earlweb/)
as well as being part of the Staffordshire Libraries site.
Westminster Music Library's catalogue of orchestral sets is being
revised and an on-line booking form developed. We hope also
to be able to link to more catalogues of performance sets as they
become available (the West Midlands Regional Library System file
has set the standard) and we await developments with interest.
If any member of IAML(UK) would like their catalogue included
whilst the bigger picture is taking shape, please contact me -
I'd be delighted to hear from you. A website for the task group has been constructed and will, by
the time this report is published, be available at http://www.earl.org.uk/taskgroups/music
My thanks to Francis Woodhouse (10) for his advice and guidance.
The site is intended to act as a focal point for networked music
services in public libraries, with links beyond. 1999 will be
an important year for public libraries, with the long-awaited
release of NOF money to train library staff and create content
for the New Library Network, and with new lottery money available
for the network infrastructure. EARL is looking forward to playing
its part in supporting Partners to bring about a "revolutionary
change in the nature and importance of our libraries" (Matthew
Evans, Chair LIC, in his introduction to Building the New Library
Network http://www.lic.gov.uk/)
The Trust (Registered Charity No.284334) was established in 1982 as the ERMULI Trust to promote the education and training of music librarians and to assist and encourage research into music librarianship, musicology and related scholarly disciplines. In 1994 its name was changed to The Music Libraries Trust. During 1998 three new Trustees were appointed: Lewis Foreman, Nancy Kenny and Susi Woodhouse. The Trust continued to supervise the development of the distance learning module in music librarianship at the Open Learning Unit at the University of Aberystwyth and an event, funded by Bowker Saur, was held at the British Library in St. Pancras to mark the establishment of the module. Grants were made to Roger Taylor, to attend a conference entitled Disaster and after: the practicalities of information service in times of war and other catastrophes and to the British Music Information Centre for the implementation of its database on-line. The Trust also offered advice about the setting up of a single composer trust, the documenting of a publisher’s archive and on other matters relating to music librarianship. Five bursaries were awarded for attendance at the IAML(UK) Annual Study Weekend. The Trust’s gross receipts for the year ended 30 September 1998 were £7,017; gross expenditure was £5,237. At the year end its funds totalled £14,451. Back to the Contents Page The British Library Strategic Review: consultation paper.
The following comments refer to numbered questions in the consultation paper. 1. Services 2. Collection IAML(UK) welcomes the Government’s commitment to improving library services through proposals in the spending review and is pleased to provide comments on the following points, numbered as in the report. Introduction 18. Closer co-operation with broadcasters will be most welcome.
In the field of music libraries there is already a close professional
bond, but access to materials held by the BBC has always proved
problematical. We recommend that the BBC's music library
resources should be seen to be part of the national network of
library provision. The BBC libraries' own users would, of
course, be their main priority in the same way that any library
has to give primary consideration to its own users. Libraries 10. Enhanced lottery funding: additional funding for materials is always welcome. This initiative would provide an ideal opportunity to revitalise music collections throughout the UK, enhancing local and regional access. There is a danger, however, that such funding, for what should be a core function, may be seen to reward those who have a poor record and could lead to local authorities relying on the chance of lottery money rather than giving sufficient resources as revenue funding. Recipients must have a plan for subsequent maintenance of adequate materials funds and performance should be monitored. 12. We welcome the proposal to strengthen the LIC. The ability to grant research funding should result in greater coherence across the sectors. 15. The combination of the LIC and Advisory Council for Libraries should be set up in such a way that it is equally open to all library sectors. 16. The proposal to combine the LIC with the Museums body may
seem logical, but could result in a dilution of library expertise.
There are strong cultural links, but widely differing professional
priorities and methodology. Not all libraries have
a cultural remit; many are closer to the academic or business
sectors. 20ii. Stronger regional strategies would be most welcome, particularly in strengthening cross-sectoral co-operation. The co-ordination of music interlending is at present largely informal, though strong and active, and should be supported in a more formal way. 21. Regional library systems are well-established and represent considerable investment in systems and equipment. Before any changes are considered, lessons must be learned from local government reorganisation, the results of which have seriously affected library provision in some areas. It is quite feasible to have subdivisions of regions for some operations; for example the Association of London Chief Librarians and its associated subject groups work within the London and South Eastern library region (LASER) but are also part of the nationwide Society of Chief Librarians. 23. In the establishment of a cross-sectoral working group, the
existing sectoral library and information plans provide a basis
for consultation. The Music LIP is a prime example of cross-sectoral
working at its best. There is considerable scope for improving
music services still further and more formal cross-sectoral co-operation
would strengthen the work in which IAML(UK) has been involved
for 45 years. A particular issue which should be addressed
is that many publicly funded resources in academic institutions
(performance material in particular) are placed within academic
departments, thereby limiting access through libraries. 26. The British Library, as the national library, must be Government
funded. The intention to give the Library more financial
freedom could be seen as a way to withdraw government funding,
a completely unacceptable scenario. Officers President Ruth Hellen (London Borough of Enfield Libraries) The Library Association Susi Woodhouse Minutes Secretary Peter Linnitt (BBC Music Library) Conference Committee Courses and Education Committee Documentation Committee Finance & Administration Committee IAML Conference 2000 Management Committee Library Committee Trade & Copyright Committee C.B.Oldman Prize E.T.Bryant Memorial Prize Outreach Project Group Performance Sets Provision ABSA [Association of Business Sponsorship for the Arts] Scottish Business Digest International Arts Navigator, journal of the International
Arts Bureau EARL: Associate Partnership Library and Information Co-operation Council [LINC] The Library Campaign IAML(UK) is an Organisation in Liaison with The Library Association IAML(UK) is a National Branch of the International Association
of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres
Honorary members: Back to the Contents page Set by Margaret Roll in Times New Roman using Microsoft Word
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In liaison with CILIP
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