Music Library Relocates in Gannett Center

Since the James J. Whalen Center for Music opened in 1999, the doorway between it and the library in Gannett Center was locked. Until now. With library renovations complete, a bigger, better music collection is now accessible directly from the Whalen Center. Instead of having to go outside, music students and faculty can follow the corridor past the recital hall and go directly to the third floor of the Gannett Center. All the music materials have been moved here, where the multimedia center, audio and video collection, and new playback equipment are also housed.

"The whole new music library is beautiful," says student assistant Jennifer Trimble ’03, "but I particularly like the listening area --- it’s much more comfortable, and the new equipment is a real improvement." Manager of multimedia services Kelly Merritt has received many such compliments on the listening room, which boasts more than 5,700 compact discs and 12,000 LPs.

Previously, the library’s music scores and books had occupied cramped quarters on the fifth floor of the building. Items were stacked atop bookcases, and the small spaces between shelves allowed just one person at a time in any area. Not anymore. "The music library’s move down two floors creates greater space, ample room for growth, and more comfortable furnishings for individual or group study," says College librarian Margaret Johnson. The layout is now wheelchair-accessible, as well. To make study time more enjoyable, nearby windows provide a view of the lake as well as natural lighting.

The music reference desk is now open 50 hours a week. Here students can get help from both professional librarians and trained student assistants in locating books, scores, and recordings. The desk is run by new music librarian and School of Music alumna Kristina Shanton ’90, who holds an M.M. in flute performance from Washington University, an M.A. in music theory and history from Pennsylvania State University, and an M.S. in library and information science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Shanton is proud of her student assistants, who not only help patrons adapt to the new layout but also teach fellow students how to use reference works and online resources. And she’s glad to be back in Ithaca to oversee the new music library.

"I had known that the Whalen Center had a door connecting to the Gannett Center, and it’s been exciting to be here when it opened," says Shanton. "The new space and services for the music collection and the music community are tremendous; they are a great resource for all music students and faculty. With the large number of online and print materials, students can learn the research skills that they’ll need for the future, whether they may be teaching, performing, conducting, composing, or engaging in further studies."

Photo by Sheryl D. Sinkow