Music and the Arts in Highland Libraries

1 Nov 2006 in Highland, Writing

The Expanding Library

Libraries have come a long way since the days when books were their only stock-in-trade. NORMAN NEWTON surveys the range of services available to users of the Highland Libraries service.

HIGHLAND LIBRARIES have a wide range of materials available to those interested in the arts. In 2005 we purchased over 2000 printed books in this area alone, but there is much more. From books to CDs and DVDs, we have something to suit the most general of interests, or appeal to the more dedicated enthusiast.

Collections of music on CD are currently held at Fort William and Portree libraries, but can also be bought on request for any library member, or reserved for delivery to your nearest Highland Library through our online catalogue (see link below). We also offer an Inter-Library Loan service for materials not in our own stock (please ask at your local library for further details).

In addition, Highland Libraries is now offering free online information databases to library members, accessed by means of the barcode number on their library membership cards.

Biographical articles on UK composers, musicians, artists and writers can be found in the new Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, while living artists are in Who’s Who, Debrett’s People of Today, and other specialist dictionaries and encyclopaedias accessible on other online databases, such as KnowUK and Xreferplus, which between them contain the fully searchable text of 320 reference books.

Most importantly, we subscribe to Grove Music Online, a wonderful resource which is also available free to members of Highland Libraries, providing a wealth of information on music, musicians and musical instruments.

All of these online resources, and others, are available through the Highland Libraries web pages.

We are constantly reviewing our provision of books, music and other arts resources and are always open to suggestions for additions to stock.

Through our Am Baile website we provide access to a wide range of cultural information, in both English and Gaelic. You can browse through our audio and video collections as well as our extensive examples of contemporary art projects.

Our collections include many fascinating audio clips including stories from ‘Tales of a Travelling Man’ by Alex Williamson, a Highland Traveller, and music from the pupils and tutors of the Inverness Traditional Music Project.

At the moment we are working on a selection of music from the Highland Music Trust and Inverness Fiddlers, as well as a variety of materials from the Achiltibuie Piping School. We are continually adding to our archives so please take time to have a browse, and if you have anything you would like to contribute to the website, please let us know.

Information on how to become a member of Highland Libraries, and on the location of your nearest library, can be found at the website listed below, or you can email libraries@highland.gov.uk or phone our Library Support Unit in Inverness (01463 235713) for further information.

We have libraries in 40 communities throughout the Highlands, from Caithness and Sutherland to Lochaber, Ross and Cromarty, Skye and Lochalsh, Badenoch and Strathspey, Nairn and Inverness. In addition, we have 9 mobile libraries serving the remotest parts, bringing library services almost to your own doorstep.

Contributed by Norman Newton, Senior Librarian – Information Co-ordinator, Highland Libraries; Carol Hart, Stock Co-ordinator, Highland Libraries; and Maggie Johnstone, Am Baile Project Administrator.