Mental Attitude (User Education as a Performance Art)

 In a discussion about user education (that's when we librarians show you, the users, how our catalogue and online resources work), librarians discussed their private reservations about standing up and sharing info that is probably not the average student's most pressing preoccupation.  We know you'd rather be playing, or composing, or acting ... 
We do try to make it interesting ...  Yes, we realise someone would kill us if we actually danced on the piano! 

• Research it! (library resources for BMus 4) Powerpoint 

Ca' Canny With Your Catalogue Searches!

 https://rcs.koha-ptfs.co.uk/

SIMPLE SEARCH
You can search a library catalogue using the simple search box. You can also search our Catalogue Plus the same way,to get lots of electronic results along with the books, music and audiovisual material that we hold.
 
ADVANCED SEARCH
But you can get more precise results if you use the Advanced Search. It means you can pin down the author or composer's name, for example, or words that you know are in the title of a book or piece of music.  The Advanced Search function is available whether you're searching just the catalogue, or Catalogue Plus.
 
CATALOGUE PLUS + ADVANCED SEARCH
It's a good idea to be clear what you're looking for, especially with Catalogue Plus, which searches ALL the electronic resources available to RCS staff and students.

We searched for "Highland Piping" on Catalogue Plus. Loads of relevant hits appeared. We have a nifty little visual graphic which categorises all the results, and you can clearly see what is available.  (But look what else we found. If you're not canny with your searching, then you might - just might - find something completely different... )

Discovery Layer - our Latest Library Buzzword

Twittaker at the Whittaker Library Catalogue

We have a new catalogue system in the Whittaker Library.  This one's a great advance on the old one, because you can look for online resources actually *in the catalogue*.  The software that makes this all possible is called a "discovery layer".  So we looked for a colleague's scholarly article, and lo and behold! there it was, without having to go and look on a different website.

Where's the article? Why, here it is! Ace!

Of course, this really opens up our resources for students and colleagues when they're offsite, because they can check the catalogue and discover lots of electronic resources - articles, database searches, streamed sound and more - which they can access anywhere.

We'll be posting hints and tips to help people get the most out of this very clever new system, so watch this space - and Twitter, of course!  Extra kudos for anyone who asks the staff to demonstrate our new discovery layer ...

Check out the Catalogue!

https://rcs.koha-ptfs.co.uk/

Two Men and Three Women - the Whittaker Library Cast Index

If you use the Whittaker Library at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, you may not realise that it's possible to search for plays with a specific cast, eg, plays for two men and three women.

Just as you can enclose a phrase in quotation marks when you do a Google search, you can do the same thing with our catalogue search.  You just need to learn the trick.

Eg, for plays for two men and three women, you need to search like this:-

"2ma, 3fe, 5total"

Do give it a try!  You won't remember unless you've experimented for yourself.  

Look down the left column (Refine your search), to see the results subdivided by playwright, format, subject-matter, historical period etc.

Chamber Music Repertoire in the Whittaker Library

Instrumentalists at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland - this is for you!

It's no secret - there's a way of finding repertoire for your chamber ensemble (anything from two to nine players) in the Whittaker Library Catalogue.

It works the same as putting things in inverted commas in Google.  You enter the instrumentation of your ensemble, top down, and put quotation marks at the beginning and end.  So, here are a couple of examples:- 

"Violin2, viola1, violoncello1" - RESULTS CLICK HERE
"Flute1, oboe1, clarinet1, bassoon1, horn1" - RESULTS CLICK HERE

Sometimes you will also retrieve bigger ensembles that include your own one.  Consider them a bonus!!

Please do ask the library staff if you need help working out the code for your ensemble.

Actors at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland - info about the Cast Index will be posted next!

A New Dawn: Creativity Books to Inspire You

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland new session is about to begin. So how about a reading list of books about creativity, to inspire your studies?

Find inspiration in the Whittaker Library's book-stock:- Creativity Reading List (and where to find them)

What's New in the Whittaker Library?

You can always find out what's new by clicking the link on our catalogue homepage.  (Imaginatively, we called it 'New Additions to the Catalogue'!)  It's updated daily.

Holiday Reading?

If you want to get ahead in your studies next year, don't forget to take one or two texts away with you - for a rainy day!  

Our library catalogue - http://prism.talis.com/rcs/

Creatives! Your Library Supports Creativity

Readers will have noticed recent blogposts about creativity, and how the library can support your leaps of imagination and inspiration.

'Whittaker' would like to offer a reading list, compiled from the Whittaker Library's catalogue.  Anyone can see the list.  Registered readers can similarly make their own lists, choosing whether or not to share them with the wider community.

Here it is: Creativity in the Whittaker Library.

And, just to bring you up to speed, here are our earlier postings on creativity:-

• Creativity is our Second Name
• How can a Performing Arts Library Encourage Creativity?

Did this posting interest you?  We love getting feedback, so do consider leaving a Comment!

Sir Philip Ledger, former Principal of the RSAMD (now Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)

RIP Sir Philip Ledger

'Whittaker' is deeply sorry to note the death of Sir Philip Ledger, our former Principal. 

If I can share a personal memory, it is of the memorable Christmas concerts that Sir Philip used to conduct, and in particular, the one that I attended when Sir Philip appeared in the garb of Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Our catalogue lists just some of the many recordings and publications that Sir Philip was responsible for - including some LPs of the Nine Lessons and Carols recorded during his time at Kings College, Cambridge.

• SirPhilipLedger.com
• CLASSICfM Obituary

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Information Services

A Whittaker Library Welcome back!

Caroline Cochrane, our Head of Information Services, writes:-
 

Welcome back to the new session. Just a reminder  - please do use the talents and knowledge of your subject librarians (Karen McAulay, Music and Alan Jones, Drama/Dance), if you’d like an quick introduction to the Library facilities, or a more in-depth research based tutorial (or anything in-between).

Remember our full catalogue is available at http://prism.talis.com/rcs/

Our facilities and e-resources are all listed on our webpages at : http://www.rcs.ac.uk/aboutus/libraryandit/

If you're a member of the Royal Conservatoire community, you'll find guides and advice on all our services available in the Library Group on Mahara at: https://inspire.rcs.ac.uk/mahara/view/view.php?id=6553

All students and staff are warmly invited to join the group!

New Whittaker Library stock

See what's new in the library!

Just a quick reminder - from the Whittaker Library catalogue homepage, you can click on a link to find out what has just been added to stock.

Go to the catalogue here,  In the pink block at the bottom, you'll see
New additions to the catalogue.   And there's a hyperlink under the words 'Please click here'.  The list refreshes itself as we add more stock.

You can also do a catalogue search for New Curriculum music, if you're curious to see what has been put on your reading lists!  This is how it looks today.

Sunny day, blue sky - not yet the 'Last rose of summer'

Super-searching to save time

Just when we were thinking Scotland's summer was over, here it is.  What's that strange brightness in the sky?  Sun!  And - is the sky really that blue?

Here's a catalogue searching tip to bring you down to earth:

Use the advanced search function to search for an exact phrase.  Like, well, Last rose of summer, Thomas Moore's famous song from Moore's Irish Melodies.  (Now immortalised as a Last Night of the Proms favourite, of course.)

The exact phrase function is just like Google's quotation marks search.  You could do that in our catalogue, too - "Last rose of summer".

Et voila, lots of songs and recordings, just like that.  You can also limit by collection to restrict the results to one or the other.  Include the limit in your advanced search, or do it once you've got some results.

Here's another one - "Last night of the Proms".  Vintage results!

Jubilee

The day of the Queen's Jubilee

Was wet, to a chilly degree 

But the Monarch just smiled, 

Her subjects went wild,

And we Scots saw it all on TV.

c. KEMcAulay 

3.6.2012

Image from The Telegraph newspaper's blog

We have a small exhibition of Coronation and Jubilee-related material in the Whittaker Library - do come and see.  (If you speak to our Archive Officer, there's more ...!)

And we've compiled some Jubilee-related search-findings from the library catalogue: take a look at this Diigo Jubilee list (social bookmarking) list.

• Video: Diamond Jubilee Pageant's Musical Finale - featuring our opposite numbers down in London -  the very wet Royal College of Music Chamber Choir!  (From BBC website).
• BBC Diamond Jubilee website is http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17500000

With an Olympic theme

Flames, torches and a' that!

Well, didn't you expect anything on the Olympics in a performing arts conservatoire?

• See what's Olympic-related in the Whittaker Library! Here ...
• Chariots of Fire - the music
• Listen to 'Chariots of Fire' on Naxos or Classical Music Library (link to our e-resources page)
• Old flames, new flames, any kind of flames Here ...
• Torches (mainly songs on the theme of torches!) Here ...
• Official website http://www.london2012.com/

Image from Newport, Pembrokeshire website
http://newport-pembs.co.uk/cmb/images/stories/Newport/olympic_torch/torch.jpg

What's new in the Library?

Acquired recently

This rarity needed rebinding!

Just a wee hint!  Find out what's just been added to the Whittaker Library catalogue by clicking this link.  (Whether it's new, or a donation, it all gets catalogued sooner or later!)

Late 18th century hymns and psalms

You never know what'll turn up next ...

A donation of two old bound volumes is proving very interesting.  The first is a collection of late 18th century hymns and psalm tune publications - and an abbreviated Messiah for pianoforte or organ and voices!  Published in Dublin, who knows where they've spent the past 212 years or so before ending up in the Whittaker Library at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland?
Before 'Whittaker' gets over-excited, he's off to have a quick coffee, then it'll be time to catalogue the second volume.

Teaching, Improvising, and the Record Industry

New books in the Whittaker Library today:-

• How to open and operate a financially successful independent record label
• Scenes, songs & solos: a composition and improvisation workbook for the creative musician
• Group music teaching in practice

If you want to keep up-to-date on what comes into the library, there's a new link on our catalogue homepage, updated daily.  (It's the pink New additions to the catalogue box.)

Essay crisis? Who are you going to call?

First year music students at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland have essays on the horizon.  Where to start? 



Assemble any notes you've already made
Check the library catalogue. (Do ask the staff if you need help with finding things in the catalogue or on the shelves!)
Don't forget all the electronic resources available to you. The library website has an A-Z of e-resources (all of them) or just the Databases.
DATABASES: Get an idea of what's available by consulting JSTOR (full-text articles) or RILM (abstracts/summaries of a wide range of items)
We just subscribe to the JSTOR music package, so do make sure you're using the "Items available to me" tab, and not "all items".
With RILM, an advanced search means you can select English language materials - or items in other languages. We can obtain items from elsewhere, but it's not usually necessary unless you're writing a dissertation or extended essay.
E-journals - look at our A-Z list, and see what might be useful. Articles are generally full-text. If you can't gain access to a whole article, consult the library staff.
Streamed music services - Naxos or Classical Music Library. You'll need to login if you're off-site. Ask us if you need a reminder of the login. Archival Sound Recordings are useful for historical topics.
Scottish theme to your essay? Don't forget Scran - multi-media resources - pictures, photos, film, sound, images of old Scottish music ... (What is Scran? Click here)
Ask the subject librarian if you get stuck at any point in your researches.
And the Effective Learning Services team are always on hand to help, too. Contact them at:- els@rcs.ac.uk
Alexander (Sandy) Hutchison, RLF Writing Fellow also advises on all aspects of writing. Contact Sandy at: a.hutchison@rcs.ac.uk

Catalogue searching for singers!

"I need this song ...."

The Whittaker Library catalogue lists the contents of all our song collections and recorded song collections, unless there are over 100 songs in the album.*  If you're looking for a song, and you know even some of the words of the title, go ahead and search the catalogue.  Start by searching on words that you're sure about - and don't bother with "the" or "a"! 

Limit on collection (whether recording, vocal score, or whatever) to see if we have the format you need.

If you're not sure about the words of the title, that makes things more tricky.  And if the song is an aria in an opera or oratorio, then - yes, that's more challenging.  I don't index every aria and recitative in an opera.

You can search printed indices or bibliographies if you know the first word(s) of a song or aria.  If you don't know the first word(s), it may actually be more fruitful to Google it.

Today I had a challenge.  The first word was either "In" or "Oh" or "Un".  Guess what?  I Googled it.  Then searched our catalogue for the correct title.  Found it - literally in the nick of time.

*  I memorably indexed all 600-odd songs in the Scots Musical Museum.  It wasn't until I came to look for the book that I realised there was a problem: I'd reached the point where the catalogue entry was too long, and it didn't display in the catalogue at all.  And that's why I draw the line at 100 songs per catalogue entry!