Carolyn Doi

Local Music Collections: Strategies for Digital Access, Presentation, and Preservation—A Case Study

The Saskatchewan Music Collection (SMC) is a local music collection held at the University of Saskatchewan. This case study examines a project to digitize and present this unique special collection in the online environment. The project aims to facilitate access to the collection, preserve the collection and promote scholarship and interest in the music of the province. This article addresses the value of local music collections, as well as challenges and strategies for collection development, copyright issues, promotion and access. An approach for digitizing and presenting the online collection are discussed.

Connecting Music and Place: Exploring Library Collection Data Using Geo-visualizations

Abstract Objectives – This project had two stated objectives: 1) to compare the location and concentration of Saskatchewan-based large ensembles (bands, orchestras, choirs) within the province, with the intention to draw conclusions about the history of community-based musical activity within the province; and 2) to enable location-based browsing of Saskatchewan music materials through an interactive search interface. Methods – Data was harvested from MARC metadata found in the library catalogue for a special collection of Saskatchewan music at the University of Saskatchewan. Microsoft Excel and OpenRefine were used to screen, clean, and enhance the dataset. Data was imported into ArcGIS software, where it was plotted using a geo-visualization showing location and concentrations of musical activity by large ensembles within the province. The geo-visualization also allows users to filter results based on the ensemble type (band, orchestra, or choir). Results – The geo-visualization shows that albums from large community ensembles appear across the province, in cities and towns of all sizes. The ensembles are concentrated in the southern portion of the province and there is a correlation between population density and ensemble location. Choral ensembles are more prevalent than bands and orchestras, and appear more widely across the province, whereas bands and orchestras are concentrated around larger centres. Conclusions – Library catalogue data contains unique information for research based on special collections, though additional cleaning is needed. Using geospatial visualizations to navigate collections allows for more intuitive searching by location, and allow users to compare facets. While not appropriate for all kinds of searching, maps are useful for browsing and for location-based searches. Information is displayed in a visual way that allows users to explore and connect with other platforms for more information.

Literature Review of Online Learning in Academic Libraries

Abstract Online learning refers to instruction that is delivered electronically through various multimedia and Internet platforms and applications. It is used interchangeably with other terms such as web-based learning, e-learning, computer-assisted instruction, and Internet-based learning. This chapter includes a review of the literature published between 2010 and 2015 on online learning in information literacy instruction (ILI) in academic libraries. Information about the landscape of online ILI is presented, including summaries about the technology used to create online instructional resources and the technology used to present and access online instruction. Both limitations and best practices relating to online instruction for information literacy are discussed.

Applying the Flipped Classroom Methodology in a First-Year Undergraduate Music Research Methods Course

ABSTRACT Online learning environments and teaching tools are becoming increasingly present on University campuses and continue to impact the way information literacy instruction is delivered. The flipped classroom is a methodology that allows students to access lecture content before class as homework, leaving room during class time for higher level cognitive activities and assessments. This article discusses a program review of a first-year undergraduate music library research methods course. A pre- and posttest survey was administered to collect students’ perceptions of the methodology as well as information literacy skill development.

Research Centre for the History and Analysis of Recorded Music (CHARM) Sound Files Search and Discography

Research Centre for the History and Analysis of Recorded Music (CHARM) Sound Files Search and Discography. Kings College London, 2009. http://www.charm.rhul.ac.uk/index.html. (Accessed 20 May 2013). [Requires a Web browser, an Internet connection (Mozilla Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer 7, or Opera 10 or above recommended) and a media player (Winamp, Songbird, or VLC media player recommended).]IntroductionCHARM (Research Centre for the History and Analysis of Recorded Music) Sound Files Search is an online audio archive that provides access to almost 5,000 classical music files that were digitized from a collection of 78 rpm discs located at the Kings Sound Archive at Kings College London. Initiated in 2004, funding for the project was made possible thanks to a fiveyear grant from the UK-based Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). Part of this funding was used to establish the CHARM Transfer Project in order to digitize, index, and archive the audio files online. The digitization project received additional funding in 2009 from Jisc (a UKbased charity that focuses on the intersections between higher education and digital technologies), which allowed digitization to continue, concentrating on recordings of British and Irish performers produced between 1900 and 1950. Although AHRC funding for the CHARM Transfer Project ran out in 2009, the CHARM Sound Files Search is still freely available online and hosted by Royal Holloway, University of London.1The CHARM Transfer Project was part of a much larger research center concentrating on the musicological study of classical music sound recording in the first half of the 1900s that brought together researchers of several prominent academic institutions including Royal Holloway, Uni - versity of London, Kings College London, and the University of Sheffield. In addition to the online sound files, the CHARM Web site also presents a searchable discography, academic papers, and the findings of a series of research projects.Information pertaining to organizational structure and acknowledgments for the project are readily available on the site. Access to the entire CHARM Web site-including research findings, much of the metadata, and audio files-is freely available to anyone with an Internet connection. Supported by a mandate that CHARM would act as an advocate for the extension of fair dealing for sound recordings, the project aims to provide openly available data and files whenever possible. For sound files that were not in the public domain, CHARM attempted to negotiate the rights to provide online access.In 2009, CHARM researchers were awarded an additional five years of funding, but the project shifted focus to the musicological study of live performance as opposed to recorded performance. Although funding for the project has expired and additional development of the Sound File Search has ceased, the site remains online and open to the public.ContentThe recordings selected for inclusion in the Sound Files Search were digitized from the Kings College London Kings Sound Archive of over 145,000 78 rpm discs, representing a broad range of classical repertoire recorded and produced in the earlyto mid-1900s. Many of these recordings were acquired through donation from the BBC Gramophone Library and used in London and regional UK BBC studio broadcasts from the early 1900s to 1960s. For more information on the history and holdings of the Kings Sound Archive, visit http://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/music /research/proj/ksa/index.aspx (accessed 20 May 2013).The files chosen for the CHARM Transfer Project attempt to avoid duplication by excluding repertoire that is already available in CD or online reissues. The site provides clear justification for the scope of the Sound Files collection. Within the collection there are several notable strengths including almost 500 recorded Schubert songs. The site also includes several subcollections that hold unique and in some cases rare recordings of famous individuals in the classical music performing and broadcasting scenes of the early 1900s. …

The Saskatchewan Music Collection: Presenting the Past, Present and Future of Our Regional Music History

Recognized for its expansive geographic features, extreme climates, diverse cultures and closeknit communities, the province of Saskatchewan is an iconic part of the Canadian identity. The complex and dynamic life of the province is matched by the history of its music and a diverse arts community. To document and share this history, the University of Saskatchewan Library has created a collection focused specifically on the music of the province. The Saskatchewan Music Collection (SMC) aims to preserve local history, provide access to regional music resources and promote these items through online and on-site access.