Update library collection april 2019
On 14 and 15 March, three meetings were organised to discuss the merger of the collections of The Hague public library, the Royal Conservatoire and the NMI with their current users and clients and other people with an interest in music who do not yet use the three collections.
The meetings under the title ‘Stadskamer’ were organised with groups of no more than eight people who discussed various aspects of the music collections with a researcher, while the client remained in the background and observed the discussion. This format made it easier for the observer to note the nuances in the conversation. Here are some impressions:
- Most of our clients are enthusiastic about the content of the three collections. They would greatly appreciate long opening hours (students like to visit the music library during holidays) and extensive facilities for searching for source materials, both online and printed. They would like to be able to read far more materials online at home, but also want them to be available in print.
- For some clients it is important to have good, reliable equipment for listening to music. Some would like to be able to try out sheet music on the spot, which led to the suggestion of a rehearsal room, perhaps with glass walls so that other visitors can see what they are doing.
- The importance of communication about the existing collections and plans for the future: even the existing collections and their potential are less well-known than we thought.