Last Saturday, the Middlebury Board of Trustees approved a project to relocate the Music Library from the Mahaney Center for the Arts (MCFA) into the Davis Family Library, moving the History of Art and Architecture Department into the vacated music library space. This project is scheduled to begin next June, with completion hopefully by September.
The consolidation of the Music Library into Davis was proposed by the College Administration, with the stated aims of strengthening ties between the curriculum and the Middlebury Museum of Art, also located in the MCFA, and increasing the use of the MCFA building, which has declined substantially especially since the closing of the Rehearsals dining space. The moves will also free up studio space in Johnson for the Program in Studio Art and Architectural Studies.
From the library perspective, it is my hope that incorporating the music collection into the Davis Family Library will increase the visibility of this fabulous library resource, one that has perhaps been underutilized due to its location on the periphery of the campus. With almost 20,000 compact discs; over 18,000 scores; and 13,000 books about music, this is a tremendous resource for anyone with even a passing interest in music, encompassing everything from the latest contemporary classical and avant-garde works to jazz, blues, and popular music for study or recreational listening. We hope that integration of the music collection into Davis will inspire the musically-curious to investigate our collection and take advantage of the riches it contains.
Moving a collection of this size entails, of course, a great deal of planning and no small amount of disruption, especially during the summer months of 2011. LIS hopes that our constituents will bear with us through this transition period, and have patience for any temporary inconveniences you encounter. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments at: Terry Simpkins (tsimpkin@middlebury.edu) 802-443-5045, Davis Family Library 202C