FAQ - Finding Periodicals (Music Library)

If you know the title of the periodical you need:

Do a title search (leaving out any initial indefinite or definite article -- A, AN, or THE in any language):

T=[title of periodical]

e.g., T=MUSICAL QUARTERLY

The titles held by the Music Library will be shown in the index screens by the code letters BM on the far right-hand side.

If the title is common, or you remember only part of the title, do a keyword search:

K=[all or part of title of periodical] AND PERIODICALS

e.g., K=AMERICAN MUSICOLOGICAL AND PERIODICALS

To limit your search to the Music Library:

Add "AND BM" to your keyword search.

To browse in a particular subject area:

S=[subject heading]--PERIODICALS

e.g., S=OPERA--PERIODICALS

To find out which volumes the library owns:

When you have brought the bibliographic record up on screen, type in HOL 1 (or HOL 2, if you are so prompted). The screen will display a list of the years for which the library owns copies, and will also indicate if any of the volumes are incomplete or are at the bindery. The "CURRENT ISSUES" are the unbound ones in the periodical browsing shelves. The "LIBRARY HAS" volumes will be bound or on microform.

Locating Periodicals in the Music Library

Periodical Browsing

These are the shelves of current periodicals, located on the west (3rd Street) side of the first floor. Be aware that some subscriptions, particularly of foreign journals, may run months or even years behind. If you are curious about whether the library has received a particular issue, check the holdings in IUCAT (do a title search for the periodical, then type HOL 1).

The Stacks

The periodicals go to the stacks after they are bound (usually a year or so after the individual issues are received). To find the call number, do a title search for the periodical in IUCAT.

Most bound periodicals are located in ML1 (American) or ML5 (foreign) on the 3rd floor.

Some periodicals are located in the stacks under their subject areas, also on the third floor. For example, periodicals devoted to a single composer are located in ML410 with biographies of that composer (e.g., Bach: Quarterly Journal of the Riemenschneider Bach Institute, ML410 .B1 A53).

Microforms

A small number of periodicals are held as microform (microfilm or microfiche) instead of, or as well as, in printed form. Note, however, that this number include some periodicals in heavy demand, such as Music Educators Journal and Gramophone.

When you search IUCAT, if a periodical is listed twice as a holding at BM on the index screen, the second listing will be for the microform holding(s). Bring up the bibliographic record for the microform, then type in HOL 1. This will give you a list of the years and issues held in that format. Print out the screen and take the printout to the Circulation Desk. Be sure to specify which volume(s) or year(s) you need. One of the Circulation Assistants will retrieve the microform and direct you to one of the microform readers. In some cases, when you are searching in the stacks you may come upon a piece of wood or cardboard with a note on it indicating that the remainder of the library's holdings of that particular periodical are on microfilm and giving the call number of the microfilm.

Variety and Billboard

Note that the Music Library does not hold these commonly requested periodicals.

Variety is in the Research Collections, Main Library (current issues in the Kent Cooper Room).

Billboard: printed version available in the Research Collections and Undergraduate Library (current issues in the Kent Cooper Room) or you can access Billboard Online from 03/01/99 through our electronic journals collection (Note: available for IU faculty, students, and staff only)

See also

our Current Journal Subscriptions list and/or


our index to selected Fulltext Electronic Music Journals and Newspapers