Collection Development Policy : Music

GENERAL PURPOSE

The music collection supports the curriculum of the Music Department faculty and the applied music instructors. The collection also provides for the performance and research needs of musicians in the Community (primarily student groups and other faculty) . Courses offerings by the Department include music history (introductory through advanced), music theory (introductory through advanced), ensembles, music composition, conducting and MIDI computer technology as well as applied music lessons in individual/group instruments and voice. The strength of the core collection is in European and American musical traditions with recent acquisitions in non-western sound recordings. The presence of the applied music program necessitates the acquisition of performance scores in a wide variety of styles and skill levels. It should be noted that both the Knox County Symphony and the Kenyon College Band, directed by Kenyon faculty, purchase and house their performance scores in a separate facility.

GENERAL SUBJECT BOUNDARIES

Historically the Department placed an emphasis on western music history and the collection reflects several decades of collecting the works of mainstream European and American male composers. Recent courses in women composers, jazz history, computer technology, non-western music history, and rock & roll provided an opportunity to enhance the collection with materials from these subject areas. Basic histories and bibliographies of music periods, biographical monographs, music criticism, and complimentary sound records as well as scores will continue to be acquired.

TYPES OF MATERIALS COLLECTED

The collection consists of monographs, serials, collected edition and individual scores, musical recordings and filmed performances. Our monographs include critical theory and biographical works as well as recent music technology texts. The serial collection focuses primarily upon the work of the musicologists. Performance scores are collected for the smaller ensembles (flute choir, jazz band, etc.) and for individual instruments (piano, string, brass, woodwind) by the library while the department collects materials for the college band and county symphony. Musical recordings are now collected in CD format, though we accept donations of LPs and audiocassettes. The film collection includes materials on videotape, laser disc and DVD format.

FORMAT OF MATERIALS COLLECTED

In addition to printed materials the library collects microfilm versions of periodical backruns for certain music journal titles. Recordings on CD format are actively collected. Filmed performances are collected on videocassette and DVD format. Online access to Music Index, RILM and Iter have replaced previous access to print indexes.

LANGUAGES

We collect music scores in a variety of languages and a limited number of monographs and reference works in European languages. Sound recordings in a wide scope of languages are acquired to enhance our world music collection. The serials collection focuses primarily on English language periodicals with access to foreign language periodicals available through Inter Library Loan.

GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS

The collection focuses primarily upon music from Europe and North America. Recent courses in world music have added a large number of musical recordings in non-western music and a limited number of monographs on the topic were purchased. Efforts will be made to continue adding a select number of sound recordings annually in non-western music traditions and to acquire affordable reference texts on non-western music.

CHRONOLOGICAL GUIDELINES

Though some provision is made for including ancient music in introductory classes on music history, the collection focuses on the medieval through contemporary western music history.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND MANUSCRIPTS

Does not currently contain relevant materials.

OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE

Library users have access to the circulating materials in the collections of ONSORT and OhioLINK. Members of the Kenyon community have access to a wide variety of databases and indexes from the main Kenyon web page.