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Music: Background and Comprehensive Resources

Comprehensive Resources

Books are a comprehensive introduction to a subject. They may be written by a single author, or may have contributions from multiple authors. Skim the table of contents and the index at the back to determine whether a particular book is best suited to your needs.

Books--at Albright

To find books and AV materials at Albright, check cataLION (the catalog).

If you cannot locate what you need in the OPAC, try some of the other catalogs listed to find materials in other libraries, which can be interlibrary loaned.

cataLION search tips:

  • The cataLION online catalog searches like Google. It tries to match as many of your terms as possible with the best matches appearing o the first pages.
  • The database will do automatic truncation, both left and right, so truncation symbols are not needed.  E.g., typing in rain will find both rainfall and brain.
  • The database is searchable by title, author, subject or keyword options.  When searching by keyword mode only input the keywords and ignore the prepositions, articles, etc to make the search more efficient.
  • To do a more comprehensive search, use the cataLION advanced search option. 

Books--Other Libraries

Background Resources

Use these for an overview or an in-depth examination of a topic. They vary in format (print, online, video) and purpose.

Reference Resources

Reference sources provide solid background information on a topic or provide quick and easy access to sources with factual information. You will want to consult them when you either need good background on a topic (e.g., an encyclopedia article) or to find a quick fact or definition (e.g., dictionary or almanac). Reference sources exist in print or online.

Online Reference Resources

  • Credo Reference
    Collection of fulltext online reference materials. Content includes dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, and subject-specific titles from art to accountancy, science to Shakespeare, and law to literature. Coverage varies by title
  • Contemporary Musicians
    Provides biographical information on important figures in today's musical arena, covering artists working in all genres of modern music, including rock, jazz, pop, rap, rhythm and blues, folk, New Age, country, gospel and reggae. 

Print Reference Resources

  • The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians [Ref 780 G883n2 2001]
  • The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music [Ref 780.9 G233]
  • Contemporary Musicians [Ref 780.922 C761]
  • The New Grove Dictionary of American Music [Ref 781.773 N532]
  • The Oxford Companion to Musical Instruments [Ref 781.91 B162o 1992]
  • The Encyclopedia of Popular Music [Ref 784.03 E563 1998]