After this module, students will:
Be able to locate and access musical material at the library, including scores and parts, reference materials, CDs and LPs, and streaming music, as well as books and articles.
Be able to access Library services as well as content, including research consultations, interlibrary loan, and chat reference.
For your library tutorial and orientation this week, please go through the lesson materials on this guide, including the text, videos, and activities for all the tabs. Links to additional information will be provided throughout, but those are optional. Don't hesitate to contact me at schmidag@uwm.edu with any questions!
The UWM Libraries offer access to scores, including parts for chamber ensembles, physical and streaming recordings, and research databases that are valuable resources for personal listening and performance, as well as scholarly research. If you're looking for new repertory or something to listen to and don't already have a title in mind, the library can help.
Here's an example: Although 2020 was "Beethoven Year," many scholars and musicians took the opportunity to listen to and perform music that is not so well-known. "Musicology Duck," an anonymous music scholar on social media, posted a list of prompts at the end of 2019, urging us to "Listen Wider" by working through "challenges" to listen to music you might not otherwise hear. But how do you find and listen to new music that meets particular criteria, either for a "challenge," for a particular performance context, or for an assignment?
To orient you to some of the music resources and services, this tutorial will lead you through a few of the Listen Wider challenges, using library resources. For each challenge, you'll see a tab on this guide with a brief explanation of resources, a couple of short demonstration videos, and an activity to try out the tools. Please make sure to go through each of the tabs, and work through those materials for each challenge. At the bottom of each page, I'll also give a link to a playlist, bibliography, and additional similar resources for you to explore if you're interested.
In 2020, the Libraries permanently closed the service desk in the Music area of the library. You can now get help and check out items at the main desk on the first floor, or at Media & Reserve Services on the Lower Level.
The old service desk area is now a new Contemplative Space! Take a moment to meditate/reflect/pray/stretch, or whatever you need! E295, formerly an office space, is now a reservable group study room, so you can work together with easy access to scores and music reference materials.
In the summer of 2021, the UWM Libraries added a service called LibKey, that makes access to the PDF or full versions of articles quicker and easier. You'll notice a "download article" link under a lot of search results in Search@UW, instead of just the "Online Access" link that takes you through multiple clicks to the full article. LibKey also includes a browser extension that will help you tell if UWM has access to articles you find elsewhere on the web, and a journal browsing platform.
The UW System libraries now have access to Classical Scores Library, an online database of scores. The scores can be added to "playlists," annotated, and embedded in Canvas sites!
In Fall 2021, the Media & Reserves Services equipment collection added circulating portable turntables and 25-key MIDI controllers. Students can check out this equipment, plus headphones, microphones, and portable recorders, for personal or academic use.
Last year, the UWM Music Librarian worked through all 30 Listen Wider challenges, with playlists, bibliographies, and search tips. Check out the results with the Guide below, or via the music collection social media accounts.
