Introduction
This policy describes the collection development program of the Music & Performing Arts Library (MPAL) and the goals for collecting in specific formats as well as in specific subject areas. The policy serves as a guide for selectors, as well as being a statement of collecting practice for interested faculty, staff, students, and existing and potential donors. The policy is reviewed and, if necessary, updated every five years, or sooner if warranted.
The Music & Performing Arts Library has two central missions: (1) to support the curricula of the School of Music, Department of Dance, and Department of Theatre and (2) to support and encourage faculty and student research, performance, and creativity. In addition, MPAL strives to support dance, music, and theatre making in the Champaign-Urbana community and to support music and performing arts research within the US and globally. We also recognize our role as a major research institution and as such, aim to preserve materials of importance to the areas we serve, within our capacity to do so given space and other resources.
The Library’s Users
All three of the main constituencies served by MPAL offer degrees at both undergraduate and graduate levels. The Department of Dance offers BFA, BA, and MFA degrees; the School of Music offers BA, BMUS, BME, a BS in computer science + music, MM, DMA, MME, PhD degrees, and the Artist Diploma; the Department of Theatre offers BFA and MFA degrees in various areas, an MA in theatre studies, and a PhD in theatre studies. More information about specific degree programs MPAL supports can be found on the dance, music, and theatre departmental websites.
Other identifiable categories of MPAL users include University of Illinois non-music degree seeking students who may be taking lessons or participating in ensembles; faculty and students in other departments outside of music, dance, and theatre who are conducting interdisciplinary study and research; residents of the Champaign-Urbana area not affiliated with the University; and out-of-town researchers who use resources on-site, make written requests for reference or reproduction assistance, or submit Interlibrary Loan requests. While MPAL is happy to provide services to these users, the Library does not collect materials specifically in support of any needs beyond those of our three main constituencies.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
MPAL’s collections have historically centered on the canon of Western art music, dance, and theatre, and therefore have, whether intentionally or unintentionally, excluded voices. We are now working to achieve greater balance, bringing historically excluded voices into our collections via approval plan profile adjustments and firm orders driven by collection assessment and patron needs. It is an inherent part of our mission to foreground these creators and genres for the benefit of students and faculty. We hope it will serve to widen the canon as students and faculty discover, study, and perform new repertoire represented in our collections. MPAL actively supports the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility goals of the University Library.
Offensive Materials Statement
MPAL’s collections contain materials which represent or depict sensitive topics or were written from perspectives using outdated or biased language. The University Library condemns discrimination and hatred. These items are retained because they have historical value, but questions or concerns about items in MPAL’s collections can be directed to mpal@library.illinois.edu.
Consortial Agreements and Cooperative Collecting
The University of Illinois Library is a member of the CARLI and BTAA consortia. Patrons can request items from other libraries within the state of Illinois using CARLI’s I-Share network. Materials not available via I-Share can be requested on Interlibrary Loan via WorldCat. MPAL lends library materials to other libraries under the same agreements. As part of the BTAA, MPAL has obtained access to several database products at a reduced cost via consortial licensing agreements. The University Library also receives access to some music-related electronic resources such as e-books and e-journals via consortial agreements.
MPAL currently has no cooperative collecting agreements with other libraries regarding music materials, but does participate in the BTAA Shared Print Repository (for periodicals) and the CARLI Last Copy program for monographs.
Collection Management and Assessment
Library collections are organic. To best serve patrons, items are added and at times transferred to other campus libraries/archives or removed. MPAL librarians regularly assess the use of the collection and how well it aligns with curricular and other patron needs. They also evaluate individual items based on their condition, their subject matter, other holdings in the Library, whether they have been superseded by newer or superior editions, and other criteria.
Items may be transferred to MPAL’s Special Collections, the Rare Book & Manuscript Library, the Oak Street Library Facility, or other University Library locations. Items may also be withdrawn permanently from the MPAL collection following the University Library Withdrawal Policy and Procedure.
Mechanisms for Collection Development
Selectors
Selection of material is done by librarians at the Music & Performing Arts Library. Suggestions from library patrons (faculty, staff, and students) for additions to our collections are always welcome and can be made in person, via email, or by using MPAL’s Request a Purchase form on our website.
Tools for Collection Development
The Library maintains standing orders for major scholarly series, both books and scores and approval plans with a variety of vendors, including Theodore Front (North American imprints, scores only), Harrassowitz (European imprints, both books and scores), Casalini (Italian and Spanish imprints, books only), Amalivre (French imprints, books only), GOBI (predominantly English-language books), and CD/AV Source (CD and DVDs). These plans are supplemented by firm orders and titles are identified by new publication listings, reviews, and other information supplied by vendors, publishers, patrons, and more.
Formats Collected and Number of Copies
The Library collects both physical and electronic materials for all formats (books, plays, journals, scores, and media) with no current stated preference for either physical or electronic. Depending on the content’s format, electronic items may be purchased individually or via packages, and the latter may be by annual subscription or perpetual purchase (preferred).
Purchase decisions are made based on availability of copies already in the University Library system, subject of the title, preference of requestor, availability through I-Share, cost, and other criteria. Other special considerations by format are included below.
Unless stated otherwise below, the Library will only purchase single copies of titles as we aim to avoid duplicating titles within MPAL and across the University Library.
Books
MPAL will purchase one copy of textbooks upon instructor request for course reserve.
MPAL will consider the purchase of a title in both print and electronic format where merited based on patron preference and need for accessibility.
Scores
When only available as PDFs, scores are printed and bound, however, we are actively exploring options for purchasing licensed individual scores and hosting them electronically.
Multiple copies of a title/edition are typically only acquired when required for performance.
Chamber music and jazz sets are collected when they include up to approximately 12 players. For larger ensembles such as orchestral, choral, and opera works, MPAL collects scores (either full and/or vocal as appropriate) only. The School of Music maintains separate band, choral, orchestral, and jazz library collections that are not maintained or managed by MPAL.
Recordings and Microfilms
While the Library collections contain items in legacy formats (e.g., cassettes, LPs, and microfilms), we do not actively collect these formats except in special cases such as when the creator or performer has ties to the University of Illinois, or when the item is only available as an LP, for example.
Loanable Technology
MPAL’s loanable technology items are acquired to meet emerging needs of our three main constituencies and to supplement (not replicate) other Library loanable technology programs. Examples include portable CD/DVD drives, charging cords and adapters, microphones, page-turning foot pedals, and recording devices.
Scope and Coverage
Language
MPAL primarily collects monographic and serial materials in English. Major music publications in German, French, and Italian are also collected, and occasionally publications in other languages such as Spanish, Danish, Swedish, and more. Printed and recorded music materials are typically selected without consideration to language.
Geography
MPAL collects materials produced in and concerning the performing arts in all parts of the world. Special attention is given to the geographical focus of faculty research. MPAL strives to collect the creative and scholarly works produced by faculty in the departments served.
Chronology
MPAL collects materials related to all time periods.
Publication Date
MPAL primarily collects current publications. Retrospective purchases may be made to fill identified gaps, replace missing or damaged items, or to accommodate patron purchase requests.
Subject (Collecting Depth and Levels)
Books
MPAL collects dance, music, and theatre books at basic and advanced academic levels, as well as a select number of titles for general audiences. The Library collects across the scope of art, folk, and popular topics. Our collecting depth at any one time aims to align with curricular needs, so in some years may be more active in specific areas.
MPAL collects materials related to music business and music therapy at a minimal level since the School of Music does not offer programs in these areas.
The Library’s theatre collection focuses on materials related to the production of theatre (acting, costuming, lighting, set design, and playscripts of the contemporary era). Materials related to the history of theatre are collected by the Literature and Languages Library.
The Library’s dance collection focuses on materials related to the history, theory, and practice of dance. Materials related to the physical aspects of dance (i.e. kinesiology) are collected by the Social Sciences, Health and Education Library.
Additional materials related to the performing arts, especially of an interdisciplinary nature, may be found in other campus libraries.
Scores
MPAL collects scores at all performance levels, although elementary materials are limited to examples for use by music education students.
MPAL does collect a variety of pedagogical materials at all levels from pre-school through college/adult as exemplars for music education students but cannot collect comprehensively for sets designed for classroom use (e.g., for elementary band instruction that include books for each instrument plus workbooks and teacher materials).
Recordings
MPAL collects commercially produced sound recordings in all music genres and video recordings of staged dance, music, and theatre productions.
MPAL does not actively collect School of Music recordings (see below for more details) or music produced within the local community; however, the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music actively collects in these areas.
Archival and Other Special Collections
MPAL maintains manuscripts, early print editions, and other materials in Special Collections, and more are held at the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music (SACAM) and the Rare Book and Manuscript Library (RBML) on campus. While we are not actively seeking manuscripts or archival materials, we will consider acquiring historic or contemporary manuscripts to meet patron needs, or work with SACAM or RBML to acquire for their collections as appropriate.
MPAL routinely collects School of Music performance programs and newsletters and Krannert Center for the Performing Arts performance programs. Historic institutional recordings (pre-1992) are held by the Sousa Archives and Center for World Music and more recent recordings are collected and managed by the School of Music.
Gifts
MPAL does not accept gifts without prior discussion between the donor and MPAL librarians. MPAL will consider gifts consisting of books, scores, and recordings (including piano rolls) that are in good condition for addition to our collections if they meet our collecting parameters.
Please be aware that the Library does not collect obsolete formats such as audio/video cassettes or VHS tapes, and only selectively accepts LPs and CDs when they fill collection gaps. The exception is when materials are related to the history of the University and its alumnae.
All decisions on retention or disposal of gift materials are made by librarians of the Music & Performing Arts Library. Materials not accepted are generally given away free to patrons, sold through the Better World Books program, or recycled.
Due to limitations of space and resources to process gifts, the Library must be very selective in accepting large donations. To that end, the contribution of funds to assist with processing large gifts of donated materials is encouraged.
Monetary gifts to the Library for collections and other needs are always welcome. Donors can make a gift through the University Library Office of Advancement. Gifts made by check or money order should include a memo stating the gift is designated for the Music & Performing Arts Library.
The Library is forbidden from making appraisals of materials for any purposes including tax. Please see the University Library Gifts Policy for additional information.
Access Policies
MPAL follows the University Library’s access policy. See the Special Collections Access Policy for details about accessing those unique materials.
— Last update: July 2024