PARSONS MUSIC LIBRARY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES: R

Reference books for Music and Dance are shelved on the bookcases that line the walls of the reading room.  They go in call number order, starting with the bookcase closest to the circulation desk.  Reference scores are shelved at the front part of the scores shelving, with the yellow shelf labels. 

Reference materials use the same type of call number as circulating books and scores, except that they are preceded by REF. Reference books and scores do not circulate to students, staff, or Special Borrowers, but they can be checked out by UR faculty, with the Music Librarian's permission.

LOCATING MUSIC OR MUSIC INFORMATION FOR PATRONS

Sometimes patrons will come to you with questions such as “Did Leonard Bernstein write any operas?” or “Do you have the sheet music for Gluck’s “O del mio dolce ardor?” We have a wide variety of reference materials that can help answer these and many other questions, and most can be found with the online Music Research Guide

Locating individual music compositions, classical or popular, can be difficult, as some will be in collections rather than listed singly in the online catalog. Most CDs have been cataloged so that a Keyword Search of words/phrases in a song title will produce results.

Additional tips for finding music scores/CDs:

Be sure you know the correct title of the song, and (especially with classical music) whether it is part of a larger work like an opera or song cycle. Sometimes it helps to look up the composer in Grove Music Online, which will list his or her compositions.

You should be familiar with the "Most Popular Resources" box on the online Music Research Guide. Mouse over the titles to get a brief description of each.

Like the rest of the University, the Music Library does not close for religious holidays unless they happen to occur during regularly scheduled break periods.  Student employees may miss work for the purpose of religious observance, but we ask that you give at least a week's notice so that a sub can be obtained.

Parsons Music Library offers free Special Borrower cards to active members of the Richmond Symphony.  Managers can add them just like other Special Borrowers, but note that they have their own patron group in Voyager ("Richmond Symphony").  For questions, see Linda or Melanie.