How to use this guide
This guide will help you get started with searching for repertoire and scholarship about your instrument or voice type. The pages in the menu to the left include the Library of Congress classification numbers for books and scores relevant to the repertoire and writings about your area of interest. You can use these call number ranges to browse the Music Library's score and book collections to find new repertoire and sources to support your research.
In addition, this guide includes links to a variety of databases that will allow you to search for items in the University of Minnesota Libraries catalog and the catalogs of other institutions, and to borrow items through interlibrary loan; to search for dissertations, which are an excellent resource for new research on repertoire and performance practice; and to explore articles and conference papers that cover your instrument or voice type.
If you need help locating or access resources, please contact Jessica Abbazio, Music Librarian, at jabbazio@umn.edu. Happy searching!
How to navigate the Music Library
The University of Minnesota Music Library is a great place to find scores and parts! The easiest way to get started is to find an item in our University Libraries online catalog and make a note of the call number, located about halfway down the page:
Bring that call number to the circulation desk and we'll be glad to help you find what you're looking for.
TIPS:
- Go to the shelves and browse: the scores and books in the Music Library are shelved in such a way that similar things are placed near each other. If you find one score that’s helpful, look on either side of it and around the section where you found it because you’ll probably find other useful things that way, too!
- The Music Library is shelved by size, meaning all of the smaller items (mini-scores and normal-sized books) are together and all the bigger items (regular-sized scores and large books) are together in a different spot. This can confusing the first time you visit, so be sure to stop by the circulation desk and ask for help if you need it! Here's a diagram that shows how the Music Library is organized:
