Music Library

Following is the Music Library Thanksgiving break hours: Feel free to come in and visit!

Sat-Sun Nov 21-22 Closed

Mon-Wed Nov 23-25
8:00am-12:00pm
1:00pm-4:30pm

Thurs.-Sun. Nov 26-29
Closed

Have a wonderful and safe holiday!

If you have been on the WIU music library web page, you may have noticed the box on the right hand side of the page that says “Instant messaging” and “meebo.” We are now providing a means for you to ask us a question using Meebo, which is our instant messaging system. All you have to do is go to the WIU music library webpage and you are automatically signed in as a meeboguest. When you send us a message, we will try to answer immediately. This way you can ask questions from anywhere. We will be anxiously waiting for your questions. Hope to hear from you soon!

The Music Library Summer Hours are:

Monday- Friday 8:00am-4:30 pm
closed Weekends

We will resume our normal extended hours when classes start August 24.

IIMP (International Index of Music Periodicals) has recently been SFX-enabled. SFX is software (a link resolver) that integrates the online databases provided by WIU Libraries. Databases licensed from different companies do not interact with each other; SFX aims to resolve those differences. You are aware of SFX from the purple “Find it at WIU Libraries” button which now appears at the base of each citation. When you click on this button it takes you to an intermediate SFX page that lists all possible means of accessing this article in, or through, WIU Libraries. Most searches in IIMP give you the option of accessing a full-text article by clicking on a link. In which case, why do I need SFX, I hear you cry!

SFX adds extra capacity to searching for topics in music journals and saves time by not requiring you to do similar searches in different databases.

SFX is an enhancement to IIMP, which is a full-text database – mostly. IIMP began life as an index of articles in music periodicals and then gradually began adding the full-text of articles. Not every citation in IIMP gives the full-text of the article – much to the disappointment of students!

The following examples show how SFX can enhance your searches in IIMP:

Example 1. Article text not available at WIU.

A search for Charles Ives brought up a review by Charles Alburger of his Symphony No. 4 by the San Francisco SO in the journal “21st Century Music.” From the citation I learn that this review is not available full-text in IIMP. Clicking on the “Find it” button tells me that the only way I can obtain this article is through an interlibrary loan request, because it is not in any of our databases, nor do we subscribe to a print copy of this journal.

Example 2. Article text available only in print at WIU.

I search for an article on the flutist Maarika Järvi, a member of the famous musical dynasty. I find an article in “Flute Talk” magazine. From the citation I learn that this article is not available full-text in IIMP. Clicking on the “Find it” button tells me that the Music Library has a print copy (25:7, March 2006).

Example 3. Article text available in another database.

I search for “Charles Ives Life and Times” and find an article by Madeleine Ladell in BBC Music Magazine. From the citation I learn that this article is not available full-text in IIMP. Clicking the “Find it” button tells me that it is available, full-text, in the LexisNexis Academic database. Clicking the red “GO” button will take me to the article.

The Difference between full-text versions in HTML and PDF formats.

PDF format is a scanned copy of the original article as it appeared in the print version; it includes any illustrations, musical examples, graphs, etc. HTML format is simply the text of the article, no frills. In IIMP, most recent full-text articles are in PDF format. Older articles may offer both versions. Some offer only HTML. On occasion, professors will ask students to find PDF format because of the extra-textual matter. SFX can direct a searcher to a full-text version in PDF format in another database.

Example 4. Finding an article in PDF format.
In doing a music business search, I come across an article “Indie Insider: How To Win Friends And Influence People In The Music Business” by Bob Baker in Canadian Musician. IIMP tells me this is available full-text in HTML format. Clicking on the “Find it” button tells me that it is available full-text in Academic Search Premier in PDF format. I click the red “GO” button to access the article and choose the PDF format

Finally, a word or two of warning! SFX doesn’t always work seamlessly (there are still a few kinks). Sometimes the links don’t work, or say they will and then don’t, or take you into a different database where you must re-enter your search. Don’t be disheartened; for the most part SFX is A GOOD THING!

Rod

To celebrate Black History Month, the Music Library has mounted an exhibit featuring Black Jazz. On the display board we feature a number of book covers related to the topic, and on the table we display items from the collection related to black jazz musicians, in a variety of formats: books, scores, recordings, videos, CD-ROMS. The featured artists are: Canonball Adderley; John Coltrane; Duke Ellington; Dizzie Gillespie; Wynton Marsalis; Sarah Vaughan; and Nancy Wilson. This represents a tiny fraction of the materials that exist in the library’s collection.

The Music Library is also responsible for an exhibit at the east entrance of Malpass Library. This celebrates the inimitable Louis Armstrong, one of the kings of jazz.

These two exhibits will be displayed until the end of February.

Two significant 100-year anniversaries occured in December 2008 on consecutive days. They celbrated the births of the composers Olivier Messiaen (born December 10, 1908 in Avignon, France) and Elliott Carter (born December 11, 1908 in New York City). Messiaen died in 1992, but Carter is alive and still composing vigorously in his 101st year! Both men, fiercely independent and original in developing their individual styles, are regarded as two of the most prominent composers of the second half of the twentieth-century. One aspect that was common to each was their development of complex rhythmic devices.

Olivier Messiaen

Elliott Carter

The Music Library currently has on view an exhibit celebrating the life and music of Messiaen. It will be displayed through January 2009.

Pictured are the gallant work crew that steadily took books off shelves, moved boxes, stacked full boxes and later put every thing back the way it was. Thank you all. Pictured from left to right is Joseph Rickard, Becky Parmer, Becky Cantlon, Rod Sharpe, Julie Hannen, Peggy Roth, Eric Lambert, Jamie Hammack Roth, and Ashley Bates. Not pictured is Jesse patridge and Rob Allen.

Thank you for all your hard work!!

Here are the most recent pictures of the happenings (progress?) at the music library…

Place cursor over picture to view caption.

The Music Library Hours for summer 08 are as follows:

Monday-Wednesday-Friday
8:00-4:30

Tuesday-Thursday
8:00-6:00pm

Closed Weekends