1. Online Library Catalogue
Finding Music on the
Online Library Catalogue
The aim of this presentation is to help you use the online library catalogue to find music at Edinburgh University Library. I’ll be giving you some search tips and tricks along the way.

2. What’s on the online catalogue?
Books about Music
Music journals – online and print
Most of the full size scores
All the miniature scores and folios
All the Music CDs
What’s on the online catalogue?
Books about Music – mainly on the 4th floor
Music journals – online and print - current issues in the basement, older issues on the 3rd floor
Most of the full size scores – 3rd floor
All the miniature scores and folios – 3rd floor
All the Music CDs – 3rd floor
The online library catalogue comes in two versions, the ‘Classic’ Catalogue and the Aquabrowser catalogue. I’m going to start by talking about the Classic catalogue.

3. Library “Classic” Catalogue http://catalogue.lib.ed.ac.uk/
The link to the Classic version of the library catalogue (which you will find on the catalogue PCs in the Library) will take you first to the Simple search. The Simple search is a broad search tool that can return a large number of results.
For scores, you should use this type of search only if the title of the piece you are looking for is relatively distinctive or unusual (e.g. Enigma Variations or Don Giovanni), or if the composer produced a relatively small number of works (i.e. not Beethoven).
Don't use a simple title search for scores if the piece has a common name, e.g. symphony no. 6 or quartet no.1 etc.
If you are only interested in looking for scores, you could click on the Set Limits box on the right hand of the screen and choose Music score in the Material Type box to limit your search to scores.
The Classic catalogue is good for:
Finding items on a reading list (when you have all the details to hand)
Browsing lists of authors
Using Course Reserve (items on reading lists for particular courses)
Saving & ing the results of your searches
The Classic Catalogue is not so good for:
Understanding your query if you make misspellings or use “the” or “la” in your search entry 3

4. Catalogue Search Tips Search tips
Remember that some works are known under titles in a different language. The Catalogue does not always include both the English and the foreign title, so in order to ensure that you don't miss scores you should always do separate searches for both the original title and the English title. I’ve searched for ‘The rite of spring’ here, but to find all the relevant material I should also search under ‘Vesna sviashchennaia’ and 'Le sacre du printemps'.
If you are unsure of the original title use the Grove Dictionary of Music to check it. Remember that if a work with a foreign title is preceded by La, (e.g. La Traviata) you should leave this out when doing a title search (i.e. Traviata).
Also, some works are known by a nickname (e.g. Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony) but this will not necessarily be included in their catalogue records, so it is best not to use this in your search.
To restrict your search to scores and sheet music you can choose Set Limits, and select from Music Score as the Material Type. However you can only use this when searching by Title or Keyword- it will not work with, for instance, Author or Subject searches. 4

5. Search Builder Search
The Search Builder function allow more precise searching . Click on the arrow to chose a search option from the drop down menu
Search Builder is usually the best type of search to use when looking for scores or sheet music on the Library Catalogue, because you can include the name of the composer and the title of the work within the same search. Treat the name of the composer as the author name.
In the title box you can include as many or as few words from the title as you like, but it’s a good idea to start with only a couple. It is better to keep the initial search simple - you can always add further words to reduce a large number of titles if you need to. You will need to enter each of your individual terms into a separate search box choosing Title from the drop-down menu each time.

6. This search for Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto has found miniature score versions, a CD (indicated by [sound recording] in the title) and a full score version.

7. I’m looking for the full score version, and it’s held on the third floor of the library. The Shelfmark is a Library of Congress shelfmark. You can tell because it begins with M, then a large number. I would find this score in the Library of Congress sequence.
The Library of Congress classification for Music is organised first by instrumental works - solos by instrument, then duets, trios, etc up to pieces for full symphony orchestra. M1495 onwards covers vocal works.
Shelfmarks for scores in the older classification sequence begin with M78.

8. Searching for CDs
Search Builder is the best search to use if you are looking for CDs.
Put in the name of the composer in the first box, choosing author name
Put words from the title in the second box
3) Type sound recording in the third box.
This search will bring up all the CDs which match your request.
The catalogue will also tell you whether the CDs have been put into the RESERVE section.

9. Search Tips
A few more tips to help you find scores using Search Builder.
You can also include opus numbers (e.g. op.50 or k.199) and key signatures (e.g. D major) in your search if you know them. (However, not all scores will necessarily have the opus number and key signature in their catalogue record, so be wary of this, as you may not pick up all relevant records.)
Here I’ve searched for Beethoven’s Opus no 86.
You can see that I’ve found two relevant results, one full score and one Collected edition score.
You can also see that in this search, the top entry in the list is not Beethoven’s opus 86. This is because, if you look at the catalogue record, this item has 86 pages – and the keyword search has simply matched the number 86. So there are pitfalls if you include a number in your search, e.g. a search for 5 may also retrieve results that include other numbers with 5 in them, e.g. 55. This can sometimes be confusing, e.g. if you search for Beethoven’s Symphony no.5 you will also get hits for his Symphony no.3 because it has opus no. 55.

10. Searching with Aquabrowser
Aquabrowser is another way to use the Library catalogue. It is a new interface (giving access to the same data as the Classic Catalogue) which offers a more ‘Google’ type search. You can type a random selection of keywords into the search box and it will match them against the catalogue, coming up with a list of the most relevant results. Aquabrowser is more ‘forgiving’ than the Classic catalogue – it can cope with misspellings, or titles which begin with ‘The ..’ for instance. 10

11. Refine your search results
Aquabrowser is a good way to do a general, keyword type search. I’ve done a quick search for ‘Beatles’ here. You need to click on ‘Check availability’ before it will display whether the item is out on loan.
You can easily see whether what you have found is a book, a score or a CD.
You can also use the headings at the right side to easily narrow down your search by format, date, language or other criteria.
You get a visual or intuitive word cloud on the left to help you think about further avenues to explore, and some of the titles will also have cover images displayed.
Users of RSS feeds can set up a feed for their favourite searches which will alert them if new materials are added to the catalogue matching their search topic. 11

12. Can’t find what you want?
Double check your spelling
Check the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians for spellings / alternative titles
Browse the older scores / check the card catalogue
Check if the collected editions include your piece
Can’t find what you want?
If you can't find the piece on the online catalogue, make sure that you have typed in the title correctly and that the spelling is correct.
Check the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (available online and on the shelf at Ref. ML100 New ) if you are not certain of the correct spelling of a title.
If the Library does not always individual scores of some of the works that you need to study these works may be contained within a collected edition

13. Using Library Catalogues - Summary
Use the Classic catalogue to search for materials on a bibliography or reading list. Search Builder is the best search to find specific scores, sheet music and CDs
Use Aquabrowser for a general Google type search that you can easily refine by material type
So, to summarise:
Use the Classic catalogue to search for materials on a bibliography or reading list. Search Builder is the best search to find scores, sheet music and CDs
Use Aquabrowser for a general Google type search that you can easily refine by material type
Happy searching!