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The Music Library Association's Basic Music Library - Essential
Scores and Sound Recordings, third edition (BML3) is an excellent resource for
assisting librarians with recorded music collection development decisions.
BML3 serves as a tool to establish new music collections, to enhance targeted
development areas, and to expand existing core collections. BML3
systematically lists recommended recordings for various music categories.
In a manner consistent with BML3's format, the Music Library Service Company,
a recorded music vendor, has compiled price lists for recommended recordings for
several musical genres. The purpose of these price lists is to
further expand BML3's usefulness as a purchasing guide by outlining the costs for
establishing basic collections. These price lists serve as supplements
to the more thorough information presented in BML3.
Price lists show costs for each recording in print as of January, 2005 in the
following BML3 sections:
- Western Classical - BML3 chapters 13-19
- Music of colonial North America and the US to
about 1900 - BML3 chapter 20
- Blues- BML3 chapter 21
- Jazz - BML3 chapter 22
- Popular & New Age - BML3 chapter 23
- R&B, Soul and Rap - BML3 chapter 24
- Rock - BML3 chapter 25
- Country & Western - BML3 chapter 26
- Gospel & Other Christian - BML3 chapter 27
- Musicals & Shows - BML3 chapter 28
The price lists are formatted in columns that detail the item number, artist or
composer name, selection title, label name, retail price, and library price of each
item. To facilitate cross-referencing with the BML3 publication, the final column
shows the BML3 citation number .
No substitutions have been made for out-of-print items. If the recommended BML3
item is out of print, it is excluded from the price sheet.
Using the convention established in BML3, a three-tiered ranking system is used
to classify each recording. A small percentage of recordings are classified as being
suitable for the smallest, most selective collections, such as those in small public
libraries. Additional recordings are recommended for mid-size library collections,
such as those found in medium-size public libraries and small colleges. The BML3
mid-size collection corresponds to items shown in both the small and mid-size price
categories. Recordings in the largest and most comprehensive collection are recommended
for large public libraries, as well as college and university libraries that support
music programs. The BML3 large library collection includes those items listed in
small, mid-size, and large price categories.
Price lists were compiled by the Music Library Service Company with permission from
the Music Library Association and the American Library Association.
[1] Music Library Association. A Basic Music Library - Essential Scores and Sound
Recordings, 3rd ed. Chicago: American Library Association, 1997.
A Basic Music Library - Essential Scores and Sound Recordings can be purchased
by contacting the American Library Association at 800-545-2433.
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