Policies

Approved by Library Council, 07/14/2004

Introduction

This Crane Collection Development Policy shall serve as a supplemental guide for selecting materials for Crane Music Library and maintaining its collection; the General Policy will apply unless otherwise noted. It is intended that this policy supplement provide a framework for the building of a collection that will serve the needs of the students and faculty of the Crane School of Music in particular, and of the wider SUNY Potsdam community.

Function and Scope of the Collection

The primary function of the Crane Music Library is to provide resources for the students and faculty of the Crane School of Music. (The Crane School offers Bachelor's and Master's degree programs in music education, performance, music theory, and music history and literature. Over eighty percent of Crane students pursue their degrees in music education although care is taken that students obtain thorough grounding in vocal and instrumental performance, music theory and music history. A secondary function is to provide music resources for interdisciplinary studies including music business for the students and faculty of the wider SUNY Potsdam community.)

A large variety of printed and audio-visual materials must be collected in order to serve the requirements of Crane Library's patrons. Among these are books and periodicals, music scores, sound recordings, and audio-visual media. Basic tenets on their selection and purchase are set forth in the "Additional Specific Criteria for Selection of Library Materials" section of the General Policy.

Priorities And Parameters For Collection Development

General Parameters

1. The parameters for language, variant editions, textbooks, and multiple copies are set forth in the Selection Criteria section of the College Libraries Collection Development Policy.
2. Restrict the purchase of instrumental and vocal method books to classics of that literature (i.e. Czerny, Bartok, Suzuki), and to selected items that introduce instruments and technique to general music students. Avoided will be most method books, elementary and middle school series books, and curriculum guides. The Crane School of Music maintains a separately housed curriculum materials laboratory for that purpose.

The Selection Process

The following will be considered when selections for purchase are made:

1. Recommendations from faculty members and students.
2. Reviews in Choice, Music Educators Journal, Notes, Fanfare, and major music journals.
3. Listings in Books for College Libraries, The Basic Music Library (1997 ed.), and other publications dealing with music collection development.

Specific Priorities

Monies allotted to Crane Library shall be reasonably balanced when purchasing books, music scores, and sound and audio-visual recordings. Selection for purchases in each of the categories will be considered in priority order, outlined as follows:

Books

• Titles supporting specific undergraduate and graduate courses.
• Monographs and reference books dealing with music education.
• Monographs and reference books concerned with the history, theory, and philosophy of music including:
  • Western classical music
  • Jazz and popular music
  • Folk and traditional music of western and non-western cultures

Periodicals

Crane Library endeavors to provide access to major English-language periodicals dealing with music education, vocal and instrumental performance, and music history and literature.

Scores

Music scores comprise music issued in

• score format
• music issued in separate parts
• music issued as scores together with parts

Since the content of scores is conveyed mostly through music notation, these materials are less language dependent than books, and hence purchase of foreign editions is allowed. Crane Library purchases instrumental and vocal parts only for musical compositions for chamber ensemble, which include works for two to thirteen performers with one performer per part. Since parts for symphonic compositions are collected by the Crane School Orchestra and Band Libraries, Crane Library will purchase such compositions for orchestra, band, or other large ensemble and vocal works accompanied by a large number of instruments only in score formats. The following priorities will be observed in the following order:

• Music needed for use in specific undergraduate and graduate courses.
• Music by major composers for performance and study.
• Collected works by major composers and historical editions of music from different periods or countries.
• Collections of popular music, jazz, traditional music, and folk music.
• Music composed or arranged by Crane faculty.

Sound Recordings

The preferred format for sound recordings is the compact disc, except when an essential recording is available only in another format. As with scores, sound recordings are less language dependent than books, and hence purchase of foreign issues is allowed. The following priorities will be observed in the following order:

• Recordings needed for use in specific undergraduate and graduate courses.
• Recordings of music by major composers.
• Recordings of jazz and popular music.
• Recordings of music by composers, performing groups, and solo performers associated with Crane (i.e., faculty, students, alumni).
• Recordings of folk and traditional music.

Video Recordings

The preferred format for video recordings is the DVD except when an essential recording is available only in another format. The following priorities will be observed in the following order:

• Audio-visual recordings of standard operas.
• Audio-visual recordings of performances of folk and traditional music when the visual aspect plays an important role.
• Instructional recordings when needed for use in specific courses.

Microforms

Crane Library collects materials in microformat when an essential item is available only in microform or when long-term storage in paper is impractical (e.g., Billboard). Most microform needs are now being replaced by electronic full-text resources and interlibrary loan services.

Electronic Resources and Non-Book Formats

Until such time as electronic-delivered content is applied distinctively to music, Crane Library will follow the criteria set by the College Libraries Collection Development Policy.

Review and Revision of Policy

This policy will be submitted for review by the Library Collection Development Committee, the Crane Library Advisory Committee, and the Library Council on a periodic basis. Revisions will be made as needed.