Our Library is situated on the first floor of the main house. There are over 31,000 acquisitions of music, with more donations coming in regularly. The library is staffed entirely by volunteer staff under the direction of Richard Bean, our Honorary Librarian.
What is in the Library?
Acquisitions include piano and instrumental pieces, solo songs, sets of parts for string and wind ensembles, chamber music, orchestral and choral works, miniature and full scores, etc. You will see below a simplified list of totals of music and books held in the Library. The list shows the numbers in the main categories together with the category description.
We also have approximately 1800 books on music as well as collections of music magazines such as The Strad, Musical Times and Music and Letters.
What is the current use of the Library?
Some course tutors and participants make regular use of the Library, others less so. During courses, participants are able to use the Library at all times, playing the music whilst in residence at Little Benslow Hills.
If anybody wants to take music away from the Library they have to be a member of the Trust. (See `Membership and Support' for details of membership of Benslow Music Trust). Membership enables you to borrow six items for a maximum of three months.
The Library open for borrowing and returning music and books during normal office hours on Monday to Friday and during weekend courses.
The Library is normally staffed by the volunteers on Monday mornings, and most afternoons (except Sundays) from 2pm to 4pm. However BMT Members travelling to Benslow who wish to consult the volunteer staff are advised to make arrangements in advance.
The Library volunteers will post out music to members in response to postal, email or telephone requests, provided that the cost of postage and packing is reimbursed.
Music donations and more space
The number of donations regularly received both large and small, has put pressure both on the volunteers who sort and catalogue, and on the space needed to house the Library. Because space and access is a problem, it has been suggested that the library should be extended. Benslow's current development plan (2007-2012) allows for an extension of library space.
Future considerations for the Library
We would like to make the library catalogue available on the internet. This would be a major undertaking as there is a compatibility issue with the database as it uses Microsoft Access software. However we are now able to send selected sections of the catalogue in Excel format by email on request, e.g. category 782.3 String quartets. Also we can, for a small fee, make the whole database available in Excel on a CD. Obviously these copies are only correct when created and will not contain updates.
Members could be encouraged to visit the library to study. There is a desk in the library and should this not be suitable, an alternative quiet area would normally be available, if arranged in advance.
Contact information:
Tel: 01462 459446
Fax: 01462 440171
Email: library@benslow.org
Benslow Music Trust Library Catalogue
The Dewey/McColvin decimal classification has been adapted for use in our library. Below is a simplified list of library contents with category numbers, totals of scores held and category description.
Music Scores780 Vocal music scores 781 Instrumental music scores 782 Chamber and orchestral music scores |
Music Books783 General music theory 784 Vocal music 785 Instrumental music 786 Chamber music etc. 787 Aesthetics, appreciation, study 788 History of music, national music 789 Biography and criticism, miscellaneous |
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