But I’m a Music Librarian!: Evidence Synthesis Librarianship 101 – Becca Fülöp, Temple University

New music librarians bring various expectations to their first non-student library jobs. Most do not expect to be asked to take part in evidence synthesis work. Evidence synthesis reviews, often referred to synecdochally as “systematic reviews,” emerged in the health sciences as a way for clinicians and researchers to synthesize large amounts of data to make better healthcare and policy choices; they have since spread to the social sciences, including music therapy and music education. But regardless of the discipline, librarians have come to the fore as being best suited for performing the complex and comprehensive database searches required by the rigorous standards of evidence synthesis practice. And so, music librarians increasingly find themselves in the unexpected position of being asked to support evidence synthesis work alongside their medical and social science colleagues. In addition to creating search strategies, the librarian is often called upon to supply additional support such as providing education, registering the protocol, and filing documentation.

In this presentation, I will introduce evidence synthesis and systematic reviews in the context of music in the social sciences and the role of the librarian. My goal is to provide a basis for how music librarians unfamiliar with this type of work can quickly pick up the tools and vocabulary to help their own patrons who come to them with evidence synthesis questions. While intimidating at first, evidence synthesis work can be a rewarding and exciting challenge for librarians willing to step slightly outside of the music library box.

 

Reconsidering Ethnographic Space: Applying Archival Perspectives to Digital Ethnography – Dr. Katelyn Best, West Virginia University

As an ethnomusicologist documenting the development of dip hop, a style of rap grounded in Deaf culture, Dr. Katelyn Best examines how ethnographic research becomes redefined when studying a cultural community that resides in both physical and virtual as well as transient and permanent spaces. Within this presentation, Dr. Best considers the fine line between ethnographic and archival research methods within her experience of navigating virtual spaces.

 

Offenbach’s Blues: Sunday Laws, Music and the Centennial Exposition – Tim Sestrick, West Chester University

The Centennial Exposition, held in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park from May 10 to November 10, 1876, was a celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and a showcase for the country’s advancements in industry and technology. As the first major World’s Fair held in the United States, the exposition attracted over nine million visitors and included participation by more than 30 other nations. Jacques Offenbach was one of those visitors; in late June the famed French composer directed a series of concerts at the newly constructed Offenbach Garden in central Philadelphia. This paper discusses how Offenbach and others involved in his namesake concert venue found themselves in the thick of a public debate surrounding “the Sunday question” and Blue Laws which pre-dated the Declaration, as well as how some ended up in jail because of them.   

 

Open Educational Resources (OER) for Theory – Dr. Matthew Heap, West Virginia University

OERs are all the rage. Dr. Matthew Heap has created two for theory courses at WVU.  “Theory Game: Curse of the Lost Rules,” available as a free app, drills students on fundamentals and chromatic harmony.  The “WVU Music Theory Vault” video series, available at https://community.wvu.edu/~mh0001/, takes students through four semesters of theory.  Dr. Heap also incorporates standards-based grading, for improved student mastery of music theory.

 

Collaboration for Community Engagement: Four Cases for Cultivating Partnerships in Music Libraries and Archives Panelists: Eric Hing-Tao Hung, Carol Lubkowski, Patrice Green, Becca Fülöp

Over the past two decades, collaboration and community engagement are often presented as key tools for keeping libraries and archives relevant for future generations. Yet, most librarians continue to receive little training in this type of work. Additionally, these efforts require time and money for activities—socializing, brainstorming, canvassing, experimenting—that are seen as “useless” or “peripheral” for efficiency-driven information institutions. As a result, successful and impactful collaborations and community engagement programs remain relatively rare.

Presenters on this panel believe strongly in the value of collaborations and community engagement. They will present case studies exploring successes and challenges in creating, maintaining and advancing partnerships at their organizations. The first panelist will discuss their approach to building relationships organically and serendipitously and how these relationships have led to opportunities for co-teaching library instruction sessions and serving the needs of student organizations. The second panelist, who works for a community archive, will address one perennial barrier to building successful long-term relationships: the power differential between  various partner institutions. In the past few years, several established organizations have opened conversations about collaborations with their tiny nonprofit. They will discuss why they have opted to collaborate with these larger institutions as an individual, and not as institutional partners. The third panelist will discuss knowledge justice as a necessary form of cultural heritage engagement, focusing on Black collections and collectors. The fourth panelist, a performing arts librarian at an R1 university, will talk about the challenges of collaborating with musicians—both music faculty and area ensembles—to put on a series of library noontime concerts.

 

And that’s what you missed on MLA-L – Thi Lettner, University of Maryland

Founded in 1989, the Music Library Association’s DiscussionList (MLA-L) was created to serve as a large-scale distribution of news related to the profession including deadline announcements, inquiries about MLA activities, reference queries, and other topics related to the field of music librarianship. Today,the MLA-L has become a high-traffic list with over one thousand subscribers and multiple messages a day. This presentation will report the trends, track scholarly discussions, note the influence of technological advancements, identify frequently asked music reference queries, and explore the ways in which MLA-L supports its subscribers and the profession. 

Utilizing the MLA-L archive, this study employs a mixed-methods approach by combining both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the emails sent on the listserv since January 2000. Content analysis will be used to categorize and identify recurring themes, research areas, and prevailing challenges discussed by the community and sentiment analysis will be used to gauge the overall tone and attitude of participants towards specific topics. With this information, attendees –those both new and well-acquainted with MLA-L –will be able to identify shifting trends in the field, reflect on the impact of developing technologies, and explore the evolution of the listserv. This study highlights the significance of MLA-L as a medium for fostering collaboration, innovation, and professional development.

The presentation will conclude with an unveiling of an open-accessdigital resource encapsulating the study’s findings and written specifically for MLIS students, early-career professionals, and those interested in joining the profession to act as an introduction to the scholarly discussions within the field of music librarianship.

 

Teaching Music Composition with Archives:  Introduction to the Jay Chattaway Papers – Dr. Kyle Simpson, West Virginia University

The WVU Libraries’ West Virginia & Regional History Center is home of the Jay Chattaway Papers.  Dr. Kyle Simpson will discuss how he incorporated this rich collection into advanced composition classes. Selections from the Chattaway collection will be available to view.