History of Popular Music in Public Libraries
Librarian Shirley Vennell with the huge wooden horn of Edison's cylinder phonograph and a small Berliner machine at the BBC Record Library in London. June 01, 1958| Credit: Russell Knight
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In 1907 the Evanston Public Library began their music collection with piano player rolls that were circulated for home use. This library was the first to grow a music collection and along with these piano player rolls the library collected scores and music related books. There was also a Weber pianola-piano in the library that was often reserved and played. These piano player rolls remained in circulation until 1940 when 78 rpm discs were then offered for circulation. This experiment with the Evanston Public Library allowed other libraries to model collections based on the popularity in Evanston. This helped the popular movement of the player piano throughout the country. Record collections in public libraries began in 1914 with St. Paul Public Library in Minnesota being the first library to collect records (Almquist, S.G., 1987).
However, not all libraries had music collections and many libraries began with small collections and then grew their collections based on the desires of patrons. A report from a survey sent out in 1917-18 in the United States gives statements of the music sections in public and school libraries. In this report librarians reported increasing interest from patrons to build or expand a music section in the public library. Librarians with small collections noted with their surveys when they did not have a large music collection or that patronage was small. The survey asked the number each library had of the following: books on music, bound volumes of music, separate pieces, phonograph records, player rolls, scores, and chamber music works. In Indiana, for example, there were 41 libraries with music sections. The library collection in Gary, Indiana had 1,100 player piano rolls, 100 books on music, and 150 bound volumes of music, which was a larger collection at the time (A Committee of the Music Teachers National Association, 1922).
However, not all libraries had music collections and many libraries began with small collections and then grew their collections based on the desires of patrons. A report from a survey sent out in 1917-18 in the United States gives statements of the music sections in public and school libraries. In this report librarians reported increasing interest from patrons to build or expand a music section in the public library. Librarians with small collections noted with their surveys when they did not have a large music collection or that patronage was small. The survey asked the number each library had of the following: books on music, bound volumes of music, separate pieces, phonograph records, player rolls, scores, and chamber music works. In Indiana, for example, there were 41 libraries with music sections. The library collection in Gary, Indiana had 1,100 player piano rolls, 100 books on music, and 150 bound volumes of music, which was a larger collection at the time (A Committee of the Music Teachers National Association, 1922).
Checking Out Vinyl from NY Library Music Room (date and photographer, unknown)
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It seems records began circulating in public libraries in the 1930’s. A New York Times (1941) article says, “With the trend toward expansion of cultural opportunities, a number of public libraries have extended their service in an effort to make good music as available as good reading. They are lending phonograph records without charge to cardholders.” The article goes on to discuss high circulation rates of phonographic records and how some libraries had lines to get albums. At this time mostly classical albums were borrowed from patrons and if any damages were made to the records the patrons were charged. Some patrons were so enthused about borrowing records that they would wait for several hours in the library to see if the record they were seeking was returned.
Patron listening to a record in the Music Department at the Main Library [ca. 1970] - image from the San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection.
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Even though libraries collected and circulated music it has always been a battle to get popular music into the stacks and to get the equipment to play the music on. In the 1940’s and 1950’s many libraries were just beginning to collect records and the speeds and machines were changing. Soundproof listening booths were also needed for listening to records in the library without the use of headphones (that became popular in the 1960’s) so libraries often could not afford to have these collections. During this time period records were still often not in circulation to preserve records, or there were strict rules when records were circulated. During the 1940’s and 1950’s budgets began to increase at many libraries to collect records, which was extremely beneficial with the invention of the LP (long playing) record that became the mainstay among vinyl records (Almquist, 1987).
In the 1970’s and 1980’s libraries collected vinyl records and cassette tapes. Those vinyl records and cassette tapes were replaced by compact discs (in the late 1980’s and 1990’s) and were completely weeded out of the library collection. There has continually been debate among the library community if popular music, especially rock and roll, should be collected at all. Many librarians have the opinion that “rock music collections serve basically as entertainment for the kids (and maybe a few adults). They hardly should be considered for serious scholarly research or investigation (Blane, 1999).” Depending on the library’s collection development policy, and the judgements among some librarians, building an up to date popular music collection might or might not have happened. Today most libraries do have a large music collection and have kept up with the trends throughout the years.
In the 1970’s and 1980’s libraries collected vinyl records and cassette tapes. Those vinyl records and cassette tapes were replaced by compact discs (in the late 1980’s and 1990’s) and were completely weeded out of the library collection. There has continually been debate among the library community if popular music, especially rock and roll, should be collected at all. Many librarians have the opinion that “rock music collections serve basically as entertainment for the kids (and maybe a few adults). They hardly should be considered for serious scholarly research or investigation (Blane, 1999).” Depending on the library’s collection development policy, and the judgements among some librarians, building an up to date popular music collection might or might not have happened. Today most libraries do have a large music collection and have kept up with the trends throughout the years.