Collection Development Policy Statement: Music and Theater
I. General Description of the Collection and Its Users
The Music collection is comprised of reference works, monographs and serials
which fall into the Library of Congress classificiation "M" (Music).
The Theater collection is comprised of materials found in the "PN 1560-3299"
(performing arts, drama, and theater) classification.
The primary users of these collections are the College of Liberal Arts' Fine
Arts faculty specializing in music and theater and all students electing one
of these subjects to fulfill their Fine arts core require- ment or taking a
music or American Artistic Experience concentration. Some use of the theater
collection may be made by those studying drama in the literature courses and
by those involved in RIT productions.
II. Description of the Programs Served by the Collection
A. Undergraduate Programs - Non-Degree
- College of Liberal Arts
The music and theater faculty teach one required core course (FineArts:Musical
Arts) and participate in two concentrations. The Music concentration consists
of courses on music theory and performance, 20th century American music,
American musical theater, Beethoven, Music in the United States, Bach and
the Baroque, and Romanticism in Music. The American Artistic Experience
concentration includes courses on 20th century American Music, Music in
the United States, American Musical theater and Music and the Stage.
- College of Continuing Education
The Fine Arts: Musical Arts course is a required course for the General
Education AA degree.
III. Subject and Language Modifiers
A. Geographic Areas
The geographic focus of the collection is primarily on the United States
with secondary focus on Europe.
B. Chronological Periods
Emphasis is on the 19th and 20th century with additional focus on specific
musical periods.
C. Languages
Emphasis is on English-language materials. Selected foreign language sources
are acquired where an English equivalent is unavailable or the work is of
particular merit.
IV. Date of Publication
General emphasis for acquisition of new titles is on current publications
in all subject areas. Acquisition/retention of material older than ten years
is based upon importance of the work to the discipline; usefulness for historical
information/perspective; extent of current publishing in the discipline; curriculum
needs for new program development; usage of existing material of same age; and
physical condition of the material. Retrospective acquisition of serials to
meet new program needs will be extremely selective and limited to the past five
years. Document delivery will be utilized instead to meet these needs whenever
feasible.
V. Treatment of Subject Matter
A. Level of Treatment
Emphasis is on a collection which supports curriculum driven needs of students
(primarily undergraduate) and faculty. The special needs of the NTID students
are considered where relevant. Major published source material appearing in
core collection bibliographies or recommended lists will be included. Pertinent
reference sources will also be acquired. Every effort is made to accommodate
faculty requests for specific curriculum related titles.
B. Scholarly Works
Major scholarly works pertinent to curricula will be acquired.
C. Sheet Music and Collections
Not collected, although there may be limited amounts in individual studies.
D. Textbooks
Textbooks are not routinely acquired unless useful as general surveys or
handbooks for a particular area not otherwise represented.
E. Serials
Serials are of limited importance in this field.
F. Other
Pamphlets are selectively acquired if sufficiently important to warrant
cataloging; no pamphlet/vertical file is maintained.
G. Multiple Copies
Multiple copies of monographic titles are acquired only when heavy use is
anticipated or demonstrated or at the curriculum-based request of a faculty
member.
VI. Cooperative Collection Development Arrangements
No contractual cooperative collection development agreements for this discipline
have been made between RIT Library and any other library.
Where faculty and student research needs fall outside the primary undergraduate
curriculum-based scope of the onsite collection, access to this information
will be provided through traditional, as well as, commercial document delivery
services.
VII. Publication Formats
A. Microforms
Journals are routinely retained in microfilm with the exception of titles
containing substantial graphical material or mathematical notation. (See Bindery
Policy/Procedure-Periodicals)
B. Non-Print Materials
Acquisition of traditional non-print materials (slides, videotapes, video
discs, films, sound recordings, slide/tape programs) is very selective and
made in consultation with the Media Resource Center Media Specialist, usually
at the request of a faculty member. Non-print materials are generally housed
in the Media Resource Center.
C. Software and CD-ROM
Indexing and abstracting services and other specialized sources will be
acquired in these formats where they meet subject collection criteria, as
well as, the Electronic Resources Policy criteria (in process).
VIII. Collection Maintenance
Continuous maintenance of the collection is based upon systematic evaluation
of materials in all locations in relationship to curriculum shifts, use statistics,
core bibliographies, physical space limitations and the availability of information
in alternative formats. Current periodical titles will be reviewed annually
prior to their renewal. All other areas of the collection should be reviewed
every three to five years. The collection maintenance process includes weeding
of materials no longer relevant to curriculum needs, elimination of superfluous
titles where information is duplicated in more current or authoritative sources,
and ordering replacement copies of damaged and heavily used items still relevant
to curriculum needs.
A. Weeding
- Duplicates Only Weeded
a. Monographs
At least one copy in good condition of standard and classic titles listed
in major general bibliographies and special subject lists, such as Books
for College Libraries, should be retained in the collection.
- Selective Weeding
a. Monographs
In general, music and theater materials should be reviewed every three
to five years to remove materials no longer relevant to the curriculum,
older materials where sufficient coverage is provided by more contemporary
titles, and multiple copies of materials where high use is no longer a
factor.
b. Serials
- Indexing and Abstracting Services
Indexing and abstracting publications need to be available to cover
all curriculum-based topics and periods of study. Publications should
only be discarded when equivalent or improved coverage is available
through new sources, printed or electronic (i.e. covers approximately
same or more pertinent journal titles in the field and/or provides
enhanced search capabilities pertinent to our programs).
- Journals
Retention of journals should be carefully scrutinized. Those that
provide, primarily, timely information (organizational news, new products,
etc.) should be discarded after a period of one to five years. Those
that include articles of more lasting value should be considered for
longer retention, particularly if they are accessible through indexing
and abstracting services available at RIT Library.
- Annuals
Annuals should be subjected to the criteria outlined in the introduction
to this section and retained indefinitely where appropriate, particularly
if they are accessible through indexing and abstracting services available
at RIT Library.
- Current Edition/Year Only Retained
a. Monographs
- Textbooks
- Career materials
b. Serials
- Directories
B. Replacement of Materials
- Lost or Mutilated
Every effort should be made to replace lost or heavily mutilated titles
if they are judged to be of continuing relevance to the collection. When
mutilation is confined to a few pages, replacement copies of these pages
should be requested through the Information Delivery Service. (See Bindery
Policy/Procedure-Periodicals & -Monographs)
- Gifts
Gifts which duplicate existing holdings should be used to upgrade the
condition of the collection by replacing worn circulating copies with
more sound gift copies.
C. Stacks Maintenance
The condition of all materials should be monitored to ensure those in need
of repair and rebinding are attended to before they are irreparably damaged.
IX. Subject Divisions
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Support Level
(see Introduction for key)
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A. Music, Theater
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1. Popular and General Interest
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D |
2. Theory, Appreciation
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C-2 |
3. History
Emphasis on 18th-20th century European and 19th-20th century American
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C-2 |
4. Opera, Musical Theater
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C-2 |
5. Orchestral music
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D |
6. Dance, Ballet
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D |
[rev. 7/94]
Maintained by Sheila Smokey
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