This issue of the Jongleur holds the record for its lateness in appearance. The semester is half over and holiday displays already have been in the stores for weeks. The past two months have had more than their share of news, all of it more important than our local newsletter. Nonetheless, we want to share with you our successes.
You may have noticed some physical changes, only partially complete, in the library this fall. These include the relocation of equipment from the hands-on room to listening carrels and the addition of shelving to our woefully crowded stacks. Installation of additional shelving, including compact shelving in the audio facility, and more shelving in the stacks, will be undertaken as the year progresses. We are also hoping that a minor remodeling proposal for new furnishings in the reading/listening area will allow us to finally replace the hideous orange chairs and old carrels.
Electronic reserves continue to consume much of our time and energy and it is obvious that the service is heavily used by students in music courses. During the 2000–2001 academic year, over 91,200 sound files were retrieved and used for listening assignments. Our new server software permits us to identify the times of day files are retrieved as well as the most popular files based on the number of requests received. We are thinking of hosting a contest. We are now also starting to work towards a new streaming protocol that will enable listeners to enjoy better sound quality and a less complex interface.
The Music Library received word that our proposal for a Brittingham to process the David Lewis Crosby collection has been funded. The grant will enable us to unpack, organize, and perform preliminary cataloging of the thousands of scores, recordings, and manuscript materials in the collection. We expect to begin work in January.
Despite a rocky start, we hope to continue to provide exemplary service to our patrons.
Our wishes for a productive and uneventful remainder of the semester.