American Music Librarianship is a biographical and historical review of the musical situation in American libraries from its roots in the late 19th century to the 1980s. Beginning with the period from 1854-55 when the Boston Public Library began to buy music for its collections, Bradley tracks the development of the Music Division in the Library of Congress under the guidance of chief librarian Oscar Senneck. The opening section examines the professional careers of America's first music librarians and the subsequent development of music libraries, taken from information provided in their papers; documentation in their libraries; and from oral interviews with the librarians, their spouses and their successors. In the second and third sections, Bradley covers the librarians involved in the formulation of classification schemes and rules for cataloguing. The fourth section covers the colleagues of these pioneer librarians who are noteworthy for their own efforts on behalf of music in American libraries. The Music Library Association is reviewed in the final section, from its inception in 1931 through the activities of its professionals, to current goals. The book's appendices include tables and plates illustrative of various aspects discussed in the body of the book. A detailed index comprehends personal names, names of libraries, titles of publications, concepts and subjects. This book is a source book for all music libraries and librarians, school libraries, and music research collections.

The literature of American music librarianship has been around since the 19th century when public libraries began to keep records of player-piano concerts, significant donations of books and music, and suggestions for housing music. As the 20th century began, American periodicals printed more and more articles on increasingly specialized topics within music studies. Eventually books were developed to aid the music librarian; their publication has continued over the course of nearly a century. This book reflects the great diversity of the literature of music librarianship. The main resources included are items of historical interest, descriptions of individual collections, catalogues of collections, articles describing specific library functions, record-related subjects, bibliographies designed for music library use, literature from Canada and Britain when relevant to U.S. library practices, key discographies, and information on specialized music research. The material is ordered by topic and indexed by author, subject, and library name.

Music librarianship¿a profession that brings joy and satisfaction to many¿is subject to constant change that requires, in turn, continual adaptation from its practitioners so that they become comfortable with new technologies and formats, changing standards, and fresh approaches. Relevant and solid training and education are crucial to success in this field, but they alone are insufficient to guarantee placement or promotion. Recent economic shifts have created additional instability, leaving graduates from programs in librarianship sometimes unemployed and with little feedback about the quality of their experience and education while their employed counterparts likewise have little knowledge of their skills¿ relevance to the current job market. Knowledge of training, education, and current employer expectations for music librarians can help ease such concerns and pave the way for a successful career or career change. As with the two previous editions of Careers in Music Librarianship, this volume provides career resources and guidance for current and future librarians, as well as insights for mentors and educators working with these populations. With this volume, the contributors provide a selection of readings that can help people in and considering this profession to make realistic, informed, and strategic decisions about how to succeed in it. As the profession changes, so must the professionals within it, and everyone involved with music librarianship will benefit from the guidance offered in this exciting, new book.

Music librarianship offers meaningful and fulfilling work to people from varied backgrounds. As libraries adapt to everchanging economic, demographic, cultural, and technological landscapes, it is essential for music library workers to possess a keen understanding of what is needed to remain relevant and to thrive. Whether contemplating a new career in music libraries, expanding liaison responsibilities in music, seeking paths for professional development, or feeling eager to reinvigorate a music library career, readers can turn to this book to gain practical and approachable guidance to succeed. In this substantially expanded edition of Careers in Music Librarianship III, experienced expert professionals have updated their pragmatic advice and insight from the previous edition to reflect the realities and challenges of today’s landscape. Since music library work takes place in both traditional and non-traditional settings, this edition incorporates advice on a wide range of topics not covered in earlier editions, including paraprofessional employment, liaison work, archives settings, and transitions from performance-based careers. Geared toward workers in music libraries, rather than simply to those who are, or aspire to be, librarians, this volume is intended to support people on an array of potential career paths. All who work in music libraries will find both inspiration and straightforward guidance in this indispensable book.

Many music librarians are tasked with reaching out to their primary user groups, but don’t know how to start this process, or need new ideas to spur them forward. Outreach for Music Librarians is a manual designed to provide immediate, practical help in the planning, implementation, and assessment of outreach projects. This manual is divided into three sections: (1) foundational principles to be kept in mind no matter the project; (2) an introduction to six different outreach projects with all the information needed to implement; and (3) case studies of outreach projects at four vastly different libraries. While this manual is aimed at newer practitioners, Outreach for Music Librarians provides such a wide breadth of information that even experienced music librarians should find new inspiration and should include it in their own collections.