Library Instruction for Liberal Arts

Prepared by:
Sarah Brick Archer
Assistant Professor of Library Services
Ofc. #L308B, ext. #3267
email:  archersa@nsuok.edu

How is the NSU library organized?

Where Would I Find Biographical Information about My Composer?

Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians (Ref. ML 105.B16 1992)
Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of 20th Century Classical Musicians (Ref. ML 105.S612 1997)
Definitive Kobbe’s Opera Book   (Ref  ML MT 95.K52 1987)
New Grove Dictionary of American Music  (Ref ML 101.U6N48 1986)
New Grove Dictionary of Jazz   (Ref ML 102.J3N48)
*New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (Ref ML 100.N48)
New Grove Dictionary of Opera   (Ref ML102.O6N5 1992)

For more in-depth biographical information, use the Library Catalog and search for the composer by subject, last name first. Look for a subheading indicating biography. Try NetLibrary, also. (CLIP Tutorial on Ebooks)

Biographical articles may also be available in journals. Use such indexes as Academic Search Premier,  Humanities Fulltext, and the Music Index. These titles are described in greater detail below. (CLIP Tutorial on EJournals)

How do I Become Familiar with My Composer's Works?

The  New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (Ref ML 100.N48) or Grove's Music Online provides a good overview of the composer’s works and usually includes a list of works written by the musician.

For many composers, there are musical scores and CDs of their works. The musical scores are located on the third floor. To locate scores, do an advanced keyword search and list the composer as the author and change the material type to printed music.  There are also DVDs of operas available at the Reserve Desk.

The CDs are available at the Reserve Desk (1st floor, north entrance), and may be checked out for seven days. Some of the CDs come with booklets. To locate a CD by a specific composer, search the Library Catalog by doing an advanced keyword search and searching by the composer's last name. Limit the search by selecting "Material Type" and choosing "Music CD." This will provide a list of CDs that contain the composer's works.
 
 

Where Would I Find the Current Critical Response to the Composer?

General criticisms can be located in books or journal articles. For full-length criticisms in books, do a subject search on the composer’s last name on the Library Catalog or NetLibrary .

For journal articles, try the following electronic indexes :

Academic Search Premier
Humanities Fulltext
Music Index  

To use the electronic indexes from a remote site, you will be prompted for your NT userid and password.
 

Where Would I Find Information on the Internet?

For a generic search engine, try Google. A good listing of search engines may be found at the library's Search Engine Page.  Check the library Music  page, also. 

Is There a Way to Acquire Materials not Available at NSU? 

Where can I Locate an M.L.A. Style Manual?