Address of WelcomeAuthor(s): Charles WilliamsonSource: Notes, Vol. 5, Papers Read at the Joint Meeting of the American Library Associationand the Music Library Association, Columbia University, June 22, 1937 (Nov., 1937), pp. 5-7Published by: Music Library AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/890374 .

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Address of W'elcome

by Charles Williamson

I am vory glad to have the privilege of extending a welcome on behalf

of Columbia University, and especially its libraries and the School of Library

Service, to members of the Music Library Association* Last Saturday was

"Columbia Day" for tho Special Libraries Association which had boon holding

its annual conference in Now York during the week, and I had the pleasure of

welcoming thom and making a few remarks on the significance of spoecial lib-

raries.

Obviously you music librarians are specializing just as definitely

and just as offectively as are the groups within the Special Libraries Assoc-

iation that are especially concerned with libraries dealing with the subjects

of commerce and finance, science and technology, religion, journalism or

museums. It is interesting to note that specialized libraries in certain

fields, such as medicine, law, music, have thoir own independent national

associations, while in other fields of considerable importance they are

dealing with their common problems through subgroups of the Special Libraries

Association. The American Library Association also represents a kind of

federation of specialized groups.

Specialization is the lavw of life, development and survival. An

individual who docs not specialize in something is necessarily ineffective

and not likely to survive in the competitive process. On the other hand

also ho may carry specialization so far that ho may lose out, if his special-

ty should fail to be in demand.

It is much the samo with libraries. A library that does not special-

izc can be nothing morc than a collection of books or of junk. It is truc

that we have what we call general libraries, and some of them are indeed only

collections of junk. Eveon if they deal with a wide range of subject matter

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thoey must have some special ond to servo. A woll organizod public library, like

a largo university library, spocializos in its collections and services in many

directions.

Wo havo no usc for librarics and librarians that do not roprosont some kind

of specialization. Somc of us specializo in ono thing; somC in another - and vw

may change our specialty. Your specialty is library scrviceo in the realm of music,

Mine at the present timo is in tho goneral administration of a congeries of

specialtios more or loss related. I know nothing about music or musical literature

but I imagine that your special problems arc aftor all not so very different from

those of librarians in other fields.

Let us see. What are your spocial materials which you have to care for

and so-:-v to your public? Books, films, slides are common to nearly all. Music

scores and phonograph records do present unique problems in the techniques of

cataloging, binding and filing.

You need a special code of rules for the cataloging of your special matoria

and a special sot of subject headings for your whole field and I am interested to

note that you have committees at work on both. Your bibliographical problems

haveo much in common with those faoced by libraries in other subjects. You must

have keys to unlock the literature of your subject. So you, in common with many

other groups, are demanding indexes and union catalogs.

In the School of Library Service we attempt to give the student the basic

information, attitudes and skills which ho will need for effective service, no

matter what direction his specialization may take. We also, oven in the first-

year curriculum, and very definitely in the second year, lay emphasis on speciali-

zation. From time to time we add now specialized courses. This sunmior for the

first time we arc offering a course in law library service. I shall bo pleased

if in the near future we can announce some specific training for those who look

forward to music library work. As a matter of fact we are alroady able to do

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something. Next year Mr. Angell is to give a course in the Music Department on tho

Bibliography of M.usic and Musical Literature. That will bo of special value to

library school students. Also in Mir. Angell's department of the University Library

we are going to bo able to give library school students some practical acquaintance

with the special methods and problems of music libraries.

Cataloguing of Music,

a report of progress for the Committee on a code for Cataloguing Music, by

Eva J. 0tMkcara. (Much shortenod)

In the revision of the Catalogue Rules of the American Library Associa-

tion the rules for music are to be revised and extended. Your Cataloguing

Commuittee is working wiith the Sub-Committee of the A.L.A. Committee on Code

Revision. Our Plan is to prepare a general handbook on the cataloguing of music;

for this the M.usic Library Association is to bo responsible. Cortain rules will

be included in the A.L.A. Code; the rest - mattors of detail, problems peculiar

to music where thero is no vwell-ostabli - will bo loft to the handbook where

thoy can bo treated more at length and with greator freedom. If this handbook

is put into circulation for two or three yoe.rs in tentativo form, tried out in

various libraries, and then given final revision, thero should at last bo a

standard of practice for the cataloguing of music for use both in general lib-

rarios and in special music libraries.

The Chairman of the A.L.A. Committee on Code Revision has given his

approval to this plan. A very practical advantage of it has been that from

the two committoes a small working coaumittoo that could m.oot frequently could

be formed. Three of us, sometimoe with one or two others, have hold monthly

meetings, usually in Now York, once in New Haven.

The Committee is trying to devise a set of rules that will be acceptable

something. Next year Mr. Angell is to give a course in the Music Department on tho

Bibliography of M.usic and Musical Literature. That will bo of special value to

library school students. Also in Mir. Angell's department of the University Library

we are going to bo able to give library school students some practical acquaintance

with the special methods and problems of music libraries.

Cataloguing of Music,

a report of progress for the Committee on a code for Cataloguing Music, by

Eva J. 0tMkcara. (Much shortenod)

In the revision of the Catalogue Rules of the American Library Associa-

tion the rules for music are to be revised and extended. Your Cataloguing

Commuittee is working wiith the Sub-Committee of the A.L.A. Committee on Code

Revision. Our Plan is to prepare a general handbook on the cataloguing of music;

for this the M.usic Library Association is to bo responsible. Cortain rules will

be included in the A.L.A. Code; the rest - mattors of detail, problems peculiar

to music where thero is no vwell-ostabli - will bo loft to the handbook where

thoy can bo treated more at length and with greator freedom. If this handbook

is put into circulation for two or three yoe.rs in tentativo form, tried out in

various libraries, and then given final revision, thero should at last bo a

standard of practice for the cataloguing of music for use both in general lib-

rarios and in special music libraries.

The Chairman of the A.L.A. Committee on Code Revision has given his

approval to this plan. A very practical advantage of it has been that from

the two committoes a small working coaumittoo that could m.oot frequently could

be formed. Three of us, sometimoe with one or two others, have hold monthly

meetings, usually in Now York, once in New Haven.

The Committee is trying to devise a set of rules that will be acceptable

This content downloaded from 62.122.76.60 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 07:06:25 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions