We launched a new library search engine that simplifies the process of locating materials.
Updates will continue for the next several months.
Questions and feedback
Dear Music Library Patrons,
We are excited to announce that UH Libraries will move to a new search platform and catalog interface at the end of July. Overall, this will change how the main search on the library website functions and how you search for materials such as books, scores, and articles through the library. You can find out more information now, and get more specific details over the next couple of weeks, from our user guide.
How will this change impact you?
- If you link to specific books/resources in Blackboard or your course syllabus, you will need to update those links post-July 23rd (old links will work until Aug 30th to give you some time to transition, but they will stop working at that point)
- Your library account for book checkouts will change interfaces
- You will probably want to test out the new search to see if there any changes that you or your students need to know
What isn’t changing? These things will remain the same:
- Our ILL system, through which you can request articles, books, and other materials which UH doesn’t have access to
- Searching for articles or data through specific databases such as JSTOR, Science Direct, or EEBO
Who can you contact if things aren’t working after July 23rd?
- You can always ask for help in the music library, but if you’d like to reach out directly then the person to contact is Lee Hilyer (lahilyer@uh.edu).
If you have questions, please feel free to pay us a visit. The music library staff is happy to chat further with you to understand any questions or concerns that you might have.
This summer, UH Libraries will be implementing a new search platform that will provide a catalog with enhanced functionality. The change is expected to go live July 23, 2019.
We are very excited to introduce this new search platform called Alma. It offers all of the searching functionality of our current catalog, and will provide more effective access to all of our resources.
Information about changes and new features will be posted soon. How you access your library account, and what materials you can access, will not change.
Alma has been implemented by major research libraries across North America, including Harvard University, University of Minnesota, University of Southern California, and University of Iowa.
If you have any questions about the new search platform, please contact user experience coordinator Daniel Pshock or head of Information and Access Services Lee Hilyer.
Naxos recently made a few changes to their search engine, s
o if you notice a few differences in your Naxos search results, this could be why.. The new updates include the following:
1. Exact phrase matches are prioritized over partial word matches – i.e. search for “mozart german dances”. From the old search it could return all albums from Mozart first, then tracks with “German” and/or “Dances”, but not from Mozart, since it searches word per word. In the new search it considers the exact phrase prior to looking for matches of every single word. This behavior reduces the unnecessary results.
2. It searches for all information within the album – Some results may seem irrelevant since the album title does not contain the keywords used. However, if you open the album you can notice that there are information that inside it that matched exactly with the keywords. i.e. I searched for “the arrival of germontt”. This keyword is not found in the title but if you open the album, you can see that it actually has a track title matching the keyword.
3. Commonly searched/accessed albums are prioritized – The search will return all correct matches but the more commonly searched or accessed albums are ranked higher than the others. To trim down the results, it is encouraged to use more specific keywords, or maximize the now refined advanced search.
4. Restricted albums are no longer listed – Albums that are restricted to the user’s country will no longer be listed in the results, thus the reducing the search returns.
5. Searching for word with diacritics is now supported – Users can now search for albums, tracks, persons that are spelled with diacritics using the common English alphabets, thus returning the exact results.
It is our policy that all library users have access to materials that are complete, UNMARKED, and well-organized. Therefore, in accordance with the UH Libraries Code of Conduct, and as an extension of our Score Clean-Up and Maintenance Project, the Music Library has instituted a fine for each item that is returned to the library with writing and/or markings created by the borrowing patron.
HOW DOES THIS POLICY AFFECT YOU?
- BEFORE you bring an item to the circulation desk for check-out, carefully inspect the score and all parts for markings or damage.
- Alert Music Library Staff to all markings or damage
- Pre-existing conditions will be noted, and you will not be held responsible for them when you return the item.
- For scores returned to the Music Library with markings and/or damage that has NOT been noted by library staff:
- A fine of $10 will be applied to your account to cover the cost of erasing and repairing the item
- If the markings and/or damage are irreparable, you will be charged a replacement fee for the item
The UH Music Library is closed due to Hurricane Harvey. We reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 5 from 9am-6pm. We begin regular hours again on Wednesday, Sept. 6.
Thank you for your understanding.
Click on picture for larger image
Culture Remix: Illegal Art, Copyright, and the Music Industry
Monday, April 10th from 12 to 2pm
Space City Room, Student Center South
University of Houston, 4455 University Dr, Houston, TX 77204
Join the UH Libraries’ Copyright Team as they explore controversies related to fair use through the film “Freedom of Expression: Resistance and Repression in the Age of Intellectual Property.” Hear about the experience of Houston experimental 80s band Culturcide and chat with our three speakers during a Q&A session.
Speakers
Dan Workman of Houston’s Sugarhill Recording Studios, and former member of Houston-based experimental punk band Culturcide
Michael A. Olivas, William B. Bates Distinguished Chair in Law, UH Law Center (Acting President, UH Downtown) and Rock and Roll Lawyer
Justen S. Barks, Alonso PLLC, Adjunct Professor of Entertainment Law at UH Law Center
Have you ever tried to check out a score only to discover that it is covered in another musician’s notes and markings?
It has come to our attention that our score section needs some maintenance!
The scores in the Music Library are among the most important parts of our collection. For this reason, The Music Library is undertaking an ambitious and necessary score clean-up project. We plan to systematically review every score in our collection to ensure that they are legible and long-lasting.
How does this project affect you?
The first way this will affect you is at the circulation desk. Before checking out an item, library staff will quickly glance through the score and parts to check for markings. This will add a few seconds to the check-out process, but will ensure that you are not charged for another patron’s markings.
Additionally, a fine system will be implemented beginning the Fall Semester of 2017.
If a patron returns an item with markings, they may be fined for the cost of removing said markings.
FAQs
What if I need to make notes and performance indications in my score?
We understand the importance and necessity of score markings. However, we ask that you NEVER make indications in a library score. Instead, we encourage you to make a copy of the music using one of our copiers or the digital KIC scanner.
What if the score I want already has markings in it?
If you notice that a score is damaged or has markings, please bring it to the front desk. We can mend or replace the item for you.
Continue to check this blog for updates on the Score Clean-up Project. More info will be coming soon!
We now have digital signage in the Music Library right next to the front desk, above the New Acquisitions table. This will make it easier to keep up with current events and announcements. Many of our slides are designed by yourfellow students. If you haven’t been to the Music Library yet, stop in and see what exciting things we have to offer!
The Music Library now has a section for browsing new items! It is located at the beginning of the Reference section on the first three shelves. Anything in the New Items section can be checked out. We will continue to have our New Acquisitions Table, next to the circulation desk when you come in. This table highlights new books and scores, as well as new reference items.