OT .. Be careful of what you wish for ... but music related.

Whistle
1

For fifteen years I have toiled away here at the public library in my subject speciality of art history, visual arts, architecture etc. basically the Dewey Decimal System 700 - 770. And all the time wanting to get my hands on the ordering of music or a part of it — three guesses and the first two don’t count. Hint … ITRAD would be a close one.

Well I went for three weeks vacation came back to work and was told that the music specialist has taken another professional diversion … and since you have knowledge of music (limited for sure) … the music speciality is all yours. Good Luck and don’t bother us … just do it. The out going music librarian refuses to co-operate, dropped all his files on my desk and walked away :angry:

I get to buy all the music :smiling_imp: The books, the scores, sheet music, the bios etc. etc.. The gambit of the musical universe is mine … all mine :boggle:

There will be a better Celtic section than what is available now. I can’t buy everything … dang, but there is a strong public interest in ITRAD than the out going librarian ever wanted to acknowledge.

Wish me luck.

MarkB

2

Aaaahhhh, the power, the power! ITM will have its ascendancy, and you, Mark, will drive yet another wedge into the ever-widening gaps in the laughable and illusory bulwark of philistine taste. Resistance is futile.

Muaaaahahahahahahaha! :smiling_imp:

3

I wish you luck, Mark! You’ll do great, I’m sure, and what fun you’ll have doing it!

Carol

4

Mark! Congrats!
BTW, how was Tromso? Pics, I wanna see pics!

5

Mark

The sad state of library finances being what it is in our cash-strapped, anti-arts times, I’m sure you’re going to have trouble collecting even a fraction of what you’d want.

I don’t know if it helps or is even relevant, but perhaps some of our vast music community should consider you if they have materials such as books or recordings that they no longer want.

After all, I’m assuming that such donations would be tax-deductible. Rules regarding the valuation of donations to libraries are rather liberal and IRS seems to be pretty reasonable in this area.

6

Please tell me you’re in a library in CT :slight_smile: I’ll borrow and borrow and borrow until the powers-that-be wonder what was wrong with the old music librarian that he never got this wonderful Irish stuff :slight_smile:

Tery

7

Ditto!
You must share your source! I can’t think of anything better to do with my time but visit the library and get kick arse music! Woohoo!

8

The IRS has pretty long arms, but I don’t think they go north of the border, YET.

jb

9

Our library system here in Windsor, Ontario, is in great financial shape with all things considered. We did go through some very rough times, but the city powers woke up to the fact that libraries are a real necessity.

We haven’t gone back to funding of old, but we also haven’t closed any libraries or reduced hours. Also we have hired five new librarians to fill a very need gap.

On the music scene, I have to spend before the end of October about $3,500 CDN on recorded music, books and scores etc. come out of a separate budget, about $2,500. And it is all for just one library, mine! Music for the branch libraries is another budget altogether. Which I won’t get my hands on until next year, it (the budget) have been already spent for the year.

And I do have a secret wish list for items in the collection…HeHeHe. But I have to filter it in slowly, very slowly.

Right now I am plowing through the ex-music librarians files, trying to find who are our jobbers and vendors are. So that will take time to work through.

Thanks to all for your kind words and encouragement. My goal is to have a well rounded popular collection, more like a buffet. I have roughly 250,000 people to buy for, right now 55% of the population of Windsor have active library cards, I want to increase that through music availability.

MarkB

10

Wow, although I don’t know of any statistics and am in no way affilitated with the running of libraries, I’ll bet we are way lower than having 55% of the population with “active” cards.

As a matter of fact, the town that I live in has recently closed its two branch libraries due to budgetary constraints.

Best of luck with your new responsibilities. I’m betting that you do a great job with it.

All the Best, Tom

11

WooHoo!

Now if I could just corner the market on the Science Fiction collection at my Library, I’d be set too.

:party:

-Brett
Member in good standing: Whistling Librarians Cabal

12

Brett, how does one join the Whistling Librarians Cabal. Is there a set of serect tunes or somethin’. A demonstration of long or short rolls used in reels a break next speed.

How does one become a member?

MarkB

13

Congratulations, Mark! I’m happy for you.
:party: Cara

14

Brilliant!

Now what was that saying about rabbits and lettuce stalls…??

15

Music will bring people in, for sure. I lived near a library that had a superb music collection. More than one person who stopped by with me became a frequent visitor. One of the most important things about this, I think, is that the library ends up having a lot of music that just can’t be gotten any other way.

Best of luck to you!

Tery (who is very sorry you’re not in CT)

16

Tery, I was told once that the duty of a librarian with a budget is to aquire the books (et al) that the public wants, but also to buy what they can’t afford to buy.

i.e The Dictionary of Art (32 volumes) $13,000 CDN. The New Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians 29 volumes, $5,000 CDN. And that goes for music genres that also wouldn’t be purchased by the public necessarily.

We have a seniors residence right beside us. Music of the 2nd World War, 1950’s, Swing are all popular, Gospel, are all popular but in most cases it has to be in the audio cassette format but that is okay, they use them alot.

One of my favourite areas is ethnomusicology, Traditional and folk music from around the world, is one area that I am going to really work on. Our Languages division looks after the popular music for our diverse city culture.

And your observation is right on! Tery. Libraries aren’t the Amazons, Borders etc. were books etc. if not sold or popular disappear off the shelf in weeks or months. Libraries are still very much needed if not more so.

Living right across from Detroit, I absorb a lot of American news, and States budgets aren’t good in many states and libraries all over the US are taking a beating. We had our problems in Ontario, but the conservative provincial government went after the deficit and basically made the province financially viable again. The Feds did the same thing. And both level of governments (and at the municipal level) have seen the value and richness that Librarys mean to the people – but aren’t so fast with the bucks though.

All I can say is support your local library. You may not use it now, or haven’t in the past, but we have always been there for you, all you have to do is call or walk in.

And if you haven’t visited your public library lately or in a few years, go for a visit ---- libraries have changed and are changing. Libraries of today aren’t the libraries of your parents.

MarkB

17

I’m glad to hear that the provincial Tories have improved the funding for municipal libraries, Mark. They have absolutely decimated the libraries in the public school system, slashing teacher/librarian positions and closing/shortening hours for school libraries (let’s not even get started on what the funding formula has done to the school and school library budgets). Approximately only 10% of elementary schools still have a librarian (read this in last week’s TO Star).
We have a much larger provincial debt load under the Tories than we did when Bob Rae and the NDP were the majority government.
So, how was Tromso, eh? Pics! I wanna see some pics!

18

It is sad to what the Tories have done to school libraries in Ontario. It was in a school library that I found a whole different world I could enter. We moved around a lot when I was young and libraries, school or public were places where I could escape the turmoil of always being the new kid on the block.

Norway was great! We made it up to the North Cape and I got a chance to kayak in the Barrents Sea for six hours.

But alas I’m sorry there aren’t any pics. I haven’t taken a photograph in twenty years, either here at home or when I’m kayaking or travelling. I do take a water colour diary with me and make small paintings in paint and pen and ink as part of a trip journal.

I have had three cameras stolen, one in a mugging, that cost me a whole years wages once. I lost all my photos, slides, negatives in a house fire (twenty years worth) so I just gave in trying to capture the moment. And commit to memory. Letting the watercolour diaries act as a rememberance.

Oh the 2nd semi-annual Detroit River Whistle In is moving into the planning stage this week. I will run it by you and Thurlowe for consideration before a formal announcement.

MarkB

19

What a sad commentary re your camera luck! But I’m looking forward to seeing your watercolors-I bet they’re beautiful. Glad to hear you had a great time, and am looking forward to Detroit 2.
We’ll get in a good play if you’re up this way next month for the Celtic Roots Weekend.

20

Congratulations Mark! BTW here’s 5 Items that I’d have loved to seen at my local library. If you do a search of the whole board, I know there are a number of recommended books that members have reccomended. Mine are based on books and CD’s that broaden my horizon and encourage my passion.

Available at Amazon.com (for reference)

  • The Companion to Irish Traditional Music by Fintan Vallely (Editor)
  • Last Night’s Fun: In and Out of Time With Irish Music by Ciaran Carson
  • Folk Music and Dances of Ireland: A Comprehensive Study Examining the Basic Elements of Irish Folk Music and Dance Traditions by Breandan Breathnach

Available at CDNOW (for reference)

  • Green Linnet 20th Anniversary Collection
  • 25 Years of Celtic Music (Green Linnet)
  • Music at Matt Molloy’s - Matt Molloy
  • Wooden Flute Obsession