The Library
Vision and Objectives of the Library
- Library Vision:
The library derives its nature and function from the college itself, as it is an integral part of it. It aims to provide its services equally to all beneficiaries, including undergraduate and postgraduate students, faculty members, and external visitors.
- Library Objectives:
- To provide sources of human knowledge to support the various disciplines within all departments of the college and to make them accessible to meet the needs of beneficiaries.
- To develop the library in alignment with the latest advancements in the field of libraries and information.
- To offer services to beneficiaries by responding to inquiries and fulfilling their needs as promptly as possible.
Overview of Library Holdings
The library houses a large collection of books in both Arabic and English, specializing in music and other fields. It also contains a vast number of musical scores by most renowned local and international composers, many of which are rare. In addition, the library includes a significant number of academic theses in all branches of music, as well as specialized journals and proceedings of scientific conferences in the field of music.
Lending Policy within the Library
- Encyclopedias, dictionaries, references, and both Arabic and foreign periodicals are not available for loan.
- Unpublished theses, rare books, and single-copy books are also not available for loan.
- The library reserves the right to suspend access to its services for individuals who violate its rules and regulations.
- All undergraduate students must return borrowed materials by the end of July each year.
Services Offered by the Library
The library offers a variety of direct services, including:
- On-site reading service.
- Printing and photocopying services.
- Guidance and orientation service.
- Reference services.
- Inquiry response services.
- Lending services (internal and external).
- Automated search in the library’s databases.
- Availability of books and scores in Braille for visually impaired students.
Overview of the Music Library
The music library archive at the Faculty of Music Education contains around 2,000 musical records (phonograph records constitute 90% of the archive), offering a rich repository mainly focused on Western classical music heritage.
Importance of the Library
The music library serves as a vital reference for students and faculty, particularly in the era preceding the widespread use of free digital listening platforms. It provides access to high-quality classical music recordings.
Archive Contents
- Western Classical Works
The library includes multiple recordings of the same works, differing in conductor or orchestra.
- Special Collections
These include boxes containing multiple records accompanied by explanatory booklets and images, particularly for symphonic sets (e.g., all Beethoven symphonies), long operas, or commemorative recordings of a conductor or orchestra. Each special collection is cataloged as a single entry regardless of the number of records it contains, with individual records assigned alphabetical sub-numbers.
- American Heritage Music Collections
A rare and rich collection representing the roots of blues, jazz, and local American music, introduced by visiting American professor Dr. Martha Roy.
- Digital Recordings
About 300 digital recordings (compact discs) were added in the early 2000s to keep pace with technological developments. Most of these also focus on classical music, with some titles in film and light music.
- Cassette and Video Tapes
A small number, mostly classical music recordings.
- Arabic and Egyptian Music Collection
Includes rare productions from Egyptian recording companies in the 1950s, such as foldable waterproof pocket records produced by Masraphone, owned by singer Mohamed Fawzi in 1959.
Technical Equipment and Services
- The library is equipped with audio playback and amplification devices for records and cassette tapes, CD players, a television display system, and a dedicated computer containing some digital recordings.
- It is worth mentioning that the library significantly enriched the auditory culture of students and faculty, especially before the rise of free listening platforms, by offering a service to record discs and convert them to cassette tapes for a nominal fee paid by the requester.
