Blog

It's that time of year again... IAML UK & Ireland's Annual Study Weekend will be starting this Friday (7th April) in Exeter, and running until Sunday. As usual there's a range of subjects to suit all music librarian tastes from the impact of music on everyday life to the extreme cataloguers of the Gerald Coke Handel Collection, learn more about RDA, visit a variety of libraries, learn how to brush up your CV skills, and chat to some of the friendliest librarians in the country. Lots more...

Very occasionally being a music librarian can take you to the most unexpected places. I've recently returned from a trip to Basel prompted by a production of a new ballet, Robin Hood , choreographed by British choreographer, Richard Wherlock , the Director and Chief Choreographer of Ballett Basel. So, what was the connection with my usual life in Cambridge University Library's Music Department? Music for the ballet was primarily by British composers, and included two, whose archives we hold here - William Alwyn and Sir Arthur Bliss . London in the 1960s, John Barry and Arthur Bliss, dartboards and the Kray Twins...I had to find out what it was about.

Many congratulations to Nottingham City Council, who have won Best Local Authority Arts Initiative for Nottingham Performing Arts Library Service ( NPALS ).

What Next? and the National Campaign for the Arts have come together to create the Hearts for the...

One of the things we can be justly proud of is our rich culture of amateur orchestras and choral societies. From the smallest villages to the largest cities, these bring music to audiences throughout the year. Where do they source their performance material? From music libraries! And how do we value our music libraries? Well, to judge by the activities of too many local authorities, very little or not at all.

Many of us play or sing...