The Digitally Accessible Music Library

MAKING MUSICAL SCORES AVAILABLE ONLINE

Presented by Christine Edwards, Music Librarian Angela S. Beakerman Music Library Eastern Empire State University, NY

Why digitize? Why now?

Increased awareness For the collection For the university

Increased availability Faculty Students (present and future) Nationwide Worldwide

Why digitize? Why now?

Partnerships Among schools Among archives/collections

Preservation of documents Less damage from use Appropriate to the era Computer/Internet Success of the movement

Previous research shows

When assessing the functionality of a digital library, we first need to investigate the needs and the demands of its end-users. ~ Strle & Marolt, 2012 The process of transferring digital musical scores is a gradual and very important one for libraries looking to complete their collections. ~ Ella Kulik, 2010 the ultimate objectives are learning, exploration, and connectionOutside researchers could pore over historical documents virtuallyCurrent students could have firsthand access to the archival material for their own learning. ~ Anna Esty, 2012

Previous research shows

Over the past years, several digital library systems for music documents were developed that include printed music (e.g., sheet music and musicological books), and various systems are currently available. ~ Damm, et al., 2012 NEUMA, a collaborative digital scores librarys first objective is support of scientific publication of parts of musics cultural heritage, in particular those that would otherwise be hardly accessible. In regards to the IMSLP, Casey Mullin writes: With its abundance of rare, out of print, and esoteric scores, it fills a sizable gap in the coverage of most academic music libraries.

Previous research shows

Schools that have Internet accessible musical scores:

Sibley Music Library, University of Rochester

Loeb Music Library, Harvard 19th Century American Sheet Music, UNC-Chapel Hill

The Chopin Collection, University of Chicago

Opera and Musical Theatre Scores, University of Illinois Hoagy Carmichael Collection, Indiana University

International Music Score Library Project

The BIG Question

Should the EESU Angela S. Beakerman Library transfer their collection of original John Phillip Sousa and other rare musical scores to a digital, online accessible format?

The Research Questions

1. Will the introduction of musical scores to the online

environment effect the patronage of the physical

library?

2. Does the transfer of the musical score to a digital format

impact the value of the object or collection?

3. Do the benefits of transferring the musical score

collection to a digital format outweigh the time and effort, including cost?

Variables
1. Introducing online format
Patronage

2. Digital transfer
Value

3. Benefits
vs. time vs. effort

vs. cost

Data Collection Method

Examining the research of other institutions who have (or have not) implemented an online musical score program. Publicized Non-publicized

Data Analysis Method

A content analysis

will be conducted.

Expected Results
Improved usage Collection Library Encouragement for preservation Possibility for collaboration with other institutions Benefits? Follow up: best digitization method