Excellence and Achievement for the Whittaker Library!

Karen attended the IAML(UK and Ireland) Annual Study Weekend at Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge last weekend.  As well as giving a talk about librarians gaining teaching skills, she also led a couple of quickfire sessions on social media in music libraries.

The most exciting news for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland was our receiving both an Excellence Award for the Whittaker Library, and a Personal Achievement Award for Karen herself.

More about the Awards: The Excellence Awards are presented every two years and acknowledge activity in music libraries which demonstrates sustained good work and good practice with the potential to be adopted and adapted by others. The Awards also recognise outstanding personal achievement by individuals. Music collections from any sector in the UK and Ireland can be nominated for the Award, no matter what their sector, size or type. The nominations for this year’s Awards were judged by a panel of experts from both the music and library worlds, chaired by Professor Jan Smaczny of Queen’s University, Belfast. Music libraries play a key role in supporting the study, performance and enjoyment of music and underpin the vibrant diverse musical life and heritage in the UK and Ireland and, as Prof Smaczny has said,” the very musical infrastructure of the United Kingdom and Ireland depends fundamentally on the work of music librarians. [Music libraries] look after communities, those who study music and perform, those who pass on their expertise through instrumental and vocal tuition; and those who simply enquire and enjoy.” This year saw the following 14 institutional libraries and 4 individuals receive the Excellence Awards:-

Libraries of Excellence:- Barbican Music Library,  British Library: Music Collections,  Britten-Pears Foundation,   Cambridge University and Pendlebury Library, Cardiff University, Irish Traditional Music Archive, Trinity Laban Conservatoire,  Kent Performing Arts Library, Henry Watson Music Library,  Royal Northern College of Music, Somerset Performing Arts Library,  Surrey Performing Arts Library, Westminster Music Library,  Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Personal Achievement:- Dr Catherine Ferris,    Dr Karen McAulay, Ruth Walters, Rosalind Edwards.

Citations for award winners can be seen 2014 here.