NATIONAL LIBRARY NEWS VOLUME 26 #12 ISSN: 1195-2326 Contents Musical Spirit of Christmas Past Speaking from...Office of the National Librarian Canadian Subject Headings: Making Information Retrieval Most Effective Equalizing Opportunity for Students with Disabilties: The Role of the National Library of Canada and Canadian University Libraries Sir Ernest MacMillan: Portrait Obituary Public Programs Friends Helping Friends MARC Format Integration: Update AMICUS Newsletter Joint Information and Registration Service Established At Your Disposal! Available from the National Library Season's Greetings ***** MANAGING EDITOR Gwynneth Evans EDITORS Willadean Leo Jean-Marie Brière GRAPHIC Roseanne Ducharme National Library News, published ten times a year by the National Library of Canada, is available free upon request. 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The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992. ***** Musical Spirit of Christmas Past BY BARBARA NORMAN AND GILLES ST-LAURENT, MUSIC DIVISION This Christmas season, the National Library of Canada, in cooperation with Analekta Records Inc., has released two compact discs of Christmas music, one devoted to French- language music and the other to English. Taken from early 20th-century 78-RPM discs in the National Library's Recorded Sound Collection, the contents of the CD comprise works either performed or written by Canadians and/or recorded in Canada. Finding and selecting such recordings proved to be challenging, and that challenge highlighted some intriguing aspects of Canada's recorded-music history. The selection process began with a perusal of the finding aids to the roughly 40 000 78-RPM discs held by the Music Division to find recordings of the more familiar Christmas titles. Then the search was expanded to include song indexes, song books and other compilations. A cut-off date of 1944 allowed us to choose recordings in the public domain from an era of recorded sound that is unfamiliar to many of today's listeners. There are two exceptions to this cut-off date, both on the French CD: a gentle song entitled LE SOMMEIL DE L'ENFANT JéSUS, recorded in 1948 by the Quatuor Alouette, and C'EST NOëL, ICI ON FêTE SERGE, recorded on October 28, 1947 by Gérard Lajoie on accordion and Françoise Cazeault on piano. The Quatuor Alouette had been active throughout the previous two decades, and their style of quartet singing was immensely popular during the first 50 years of recorded sound. C'EST NOëL is a lively tune reminiscent of the French-Canadian tradition of the "veillée". It begins with Lajoie proudly announcing "Ici c'est Noël, moé j'fête Serge" [Now that it's Christmas, I salute Serge]. We have no clue who "Serge" might be or what the song refers to: obviously the song was a "must-include" item! The CDs cover four decades of recorded sound. The earliest 78 used, dating from 1906, is a recording of Gounod's NOëL, MONTEZ à DIEU sung by the celebrated French-Canadian tenor Joseph Saucier; the latest is the above-mentioned LE SOMMEIL DE L'ENFANT JéSUS released in 1948. It is interesting to hear familiar and not-so-familiar music performed in the styles of earlier eras by the stars of the day. Included are classically trained vocalists, vocal quartets, pop singers, a small choir, and a few oddities such as a 1924 French spoken-word tale of a small child's meeting with Santa Claus, a 1920 manic "one-step" instrumental version of the BELLS OF ST. MARY, and a 1918 "descriptive" narrative with musical accompaniment called CHRISTMAS EVE (KIDDIES PATROL) that tells of Santa making his rounds. It is difficult to find high-quality recordings of Canadian choirs until the early 1940s. There are a number of possible reasons for this: the level of technology might have precluded the regular recording of choral music, or the commercial market for smaller musical forms, such as anthems and carols rather than masses or oratorios, might have been too small. In general, Canadian public taste seems to have preferred recordings of the light entertainment repertoire. A quick tally of the printed scores of the period revealed a preponderance of English-language music, largely of anthems and carols for church choir. The French printed scores, although considerably fewer in number, had a larger percentage of vocal solos, mostly religious. This may account in part for the greater number of classical recordings, particularly of solo Christmas songs, from French Canada. It is noteworthy that we found about twice as many recordings of francophone as of anglophone Christmas music. Many of the English works featured Canadian performers, but were recorded in the United States. One article on early recorded sound production notes: "By and large, those Canadians who made records did so outside their home country. Canada itself was mainly an importer of recordings although there was a steady market for homegrown products in French Canada, which had musical traditions of its own."1 Not surprisingly, there are very few recordings in either English or French from the early 1930s, as all but two Canadian record companies went bankrupt in the Great Depression. Both survivors, the Compo Company and "His Master's Voice" Victor, were based in Montreal. During this time, the popularity of the jukebox exerted a powerful influence on the recording industry, leading to an emphasis on dance-band music rather than music for home listening. For instance, WINTER WONDERLAND was the only song remotely related to Christmas that was recorded by the highly prolific Guy Lombardo between 1924 and 1942.2 Christmas music has been composed, performed and cherished in Canada throughout history, but in subtly changing styles. These recordings present the Christmas message as performed by musicians of previous generations -- a glimpse of bygone Canadian holidays. So, warm up the cocoa, gather the family in the parlour, wind up the gramophone and enjoy a blast from the past, with Season's Greetings from the Music Division of the National Library! ***** Speaking From ... Office of the National Librarian BY MARIANNE SCOTT, NATIONAL LIBRARIAN The focus of 1994 has been adaptation to a rapidly changing world. During the last year, the National Library has reaffirmed and redefined its priorities, reorganized internally to ensure more effective and efficient program delivery, and, along with other government departments, conducted a detailed program review to clarify objectives further in the light of diminishing resources and increasing expectations. The National Library's first priority remains the heritage aspect of its mandate which focusses on the development of Canadiana collections and the creation of machine-readable bibliographic records to make those collections widely accessible.Maintaining and preserving Canadiana collections, producing and disseminating bibliographic products, and reference and research support services affording access to them, are part of the package. We were delighted when the amendments to the Legal Deposit provisions of the National Library Act were passed by Parliament and the exemption for books priced over $50 was removed. The amendments will make a significant difference to our ability to develop a comprehensive collection of Canadiana. The reaffirmation of our focus on Canadiana, in combination with severe budget cuts and the fact that many public libraries across Canada have developed substantial multilingual collections, led us to a very difficult decision. The time had come for radical changes in the Library's Multilingual Biblioservice, a service developed over 20 years through the expertise of a dedicated staff. Henceforth, MBS will not collect and circulate materials but will extend its advisory function, acting, in part, as a "switching station" for identifying multilingual collections across the country. Through National and International Programs, which was formed as part of the Library's reorganization, the National Library will provide advice to facilitate the sharing of multilingual resources. In preparation for this changed focus, the Library has published A WORLD OF INFORMATION, a manual primarily directed to librarians in smaller centres which provides general information and practical suggestions on managing a multilingual collection. Better and more economical service through the integration of resources was also behind the federal government's BLUEPRINT FOR RENEWING GOVERNMENT SERVICES USING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. The BLUEPRINT's stated objective is "to transform government processes to better support program delivery to the public at much reduced cost". In replying, the National Library welcomed this constructive approach to making the most of information technologies in delivering government services. The approach fits in well with our own strategic plans and re-engineering projects which focus on using technology, developing technological standards, networking and sharing resources to maximize service to our clients. This year, the meeting of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) in Cuba was a reminder that although the National Library of Canada and libraries across the country must deal with severe budget cuts at -- it seems -- every turn, we still have many reasons to be thankful. As technology changes the face of libraries, it also increases our ability and obligation to share resources with and assist in the development of libraries around the world. At this year's IFLA meeting, for instance, we were able to share some of the expertise we have developed in providing services to patrons with disabilities, including both the provision of materials in alternate format and encouragement in their development. The Adaptive Technology for Libraries Program, now in its third year, has helped libraries across the country to purchase adaptive equipment that will make their collections more accessible. Through the Large Print Publishing Program, which distributed funds for the first time this year, four large-print versions of books by Canadian authors have already been published. As the year draws to a close, we have led or participated in national and international meetings on resource-sharing strategies and cooperative preservation activities and have moved forward with the long-awaited core library statistics project. The transition from DOBIS to AMICUS is well underway and, in completing the automation of all Library functions, we are ready for full participation in work in the electronic highway at a time of public recognition of the potential it affords. As information professionals who have long made use of the latest technology to retrieve, organize and provide access to information, librarians are ideal network navigators. As I look back over 1994, I recognize that it has been a difficult and challenging year in many ways. It has also been a very rewarding one, with a number of major achievements in which adversity has been the catalyst for creative redirection as we head into a brave new technological world. As technological advancements and networks such as the Internet make the world smaller, we have sharpened our focus, adapted to changing circumstances, and continued our role of collecting, preserving and making available the nation's published heritage. Season's Greetings to you all, and may 1995 be a good year for everyone. ***** DID YOU KNOW... that reprints of the second edition (1978) of the National Library's publication, CLASS PS8000: A CLASSIFICATION FOR CANADIAN LITERATURE, is now being published on demand? Available in separate English and French versions, copies can be obtained from: Marketing and Publishing National Library of Canada 395 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N4 Telephone: (613) 995-7969 Fax: (613) 991-9871 TTY: (613) 992-6969 Internet: publications@nlc-bnc.ca Cat. no. SN3-66-1978-1E ISBN 0-660-01659-1 Price: $6.95 (Canada), $9.00 (elsewhere) ***** Canadian Subject Headings: Making Information Retrieval Most Effective BY IRIS WINSTON, STAFF WRITER Alina Schweitzer, Editor of the National Library's publication CANADIAN SUBJECT HEADINGS, was recently awarded a Canada 125 medal in recognition of almost 25 years of groundbreaking work in subject analysis. For Schweitzer, subject analysis is much more than an important tool to facilitate information retrieval: it is a key to unlocking a treasure house of knowledge and, like a key, must be carefully and precisely formed to be effective. Here, she explains some of her objectives. NLN: Why is it important to organize information? AS: Information is only recoverable and usable when it is organized. Imagine a workshop where all tools and materials are piled in one tremendous heap in the middle of the floor. Can specific items be easily retrieved when they are needed? Or imagine an enormous encyclopedia containing all recorded human knowledge, but with no definable order to the articles and no index. How would you find anything? It is just as difficult to find information when it is unorganized. NLN: What types of systems have been developed to organize the information contained in publications? Are some systems more effective than others or is effectiveness dependent on the specific purpose or information sought? AS: There have been documented attempts to organize human knowledge going back at least to Aristotle and the medieval SUMMAE, but our age has seen both the greatest need to arrange knowledge so that it may be easily retrieved and the most systematic effort to achieve such arrangements. There are various systems of information organization that differ in approach and according to the type of information involved. For example, access to information contained in periodical literature is usually organized by means of indexes and/or abstracts that list the topics of the articles. The type of information of most concern at the National Library is library materials: monographs, periodicals and, increasingly, non-print media. Various approaches make access possible. One approach is a classification that regards knowledge as a "tree" where each "limb" is an area or domain. Take the limb of science, for instance, which divides into the branches of mathematics, physics, biology, and so on. They, in turn, divide into smaller branches ranging from the most general to the most specific. This is how the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) works. The greatest advantage of such a method is that related topics are kept close together. The disadvantage is that it usually employs numbers or other symbols, which may be unfamiliar to a user. A second method, which has recently become popular, is thesaurus. This works best within a single area, particularly in sciences and technology, and for users familiar with the area. A more important method treats topics within library materials as discrete entities called "subject headings". Such headings are arranged alphabetically, but with references to put topics in context. Such a syndetic structure is necessary to move, for instance, from "Mammals" to "Cats" to "Long-haired Cat" to "Himalayan Cat". Subject headings are words or phrases that summarize the intellectual content (and sometimes the form and other aspects) of library materials. They are a coordinated system in which the level of specificity is intended to be appropriate to the document under analysis. Subject headings use a controlled vocabulary, which is very important. A topic can only be described by one term chosen from among synonyms and near-synonyms which are used as references to lead the user to the chosen term. For example, a library user interested in Canadian history but unfamiliar with the controlled vocabulary of subject retrieval might look under Canadian history; History of Canada; Canada, History of; or History, Canadian. Each would have a reference to Canada--History, the term actually used as a heading. NLN: Why are there CANADIAN subject headings? Why is the national/cultural distinction necessary? AS: The most common system of subject headings, used all over North America and, increasingly, in other parts of the world, either in English or translation, is the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH). Developed by the de facto national library of the United States of America, they emphasize topics reflecting the nature, structure and preoccupations of the U.S. Therefore, the National Library of Canada developed Canadian Subject Headings (CSH) as a list to be used in conjunction with LCSH. Our needs for information-retrieval terms for Canadian topics are based on the unique nature and development of our own society, which is based on two founding peoples, three aboriginal groups, two official languages, and many ethnic groups contributing to the Canadian multicultural mosaic. These aspects of Canadian culture cannot be adequately expressed within the constraints of LCSH. Without CSH, we would have to use terms such as "state governments" to refer to provincial governments or "foreign speakers" to refer to Canadians learning English or French as a second language. The purpose of CSH is to remedy these and similar situations by reflecting Canadian culture and experience by supplying terms such as "Italian Canadians", "Federal-provincial conferences", "Huron Indians", or "Cross-border shopping", none of which exist in LCSH. NLN: How were Canadian Subject Headings developed? AS: CSH was developed by the National Library of Canada following the recommendations of the Canadian Task Group of Cataloguing Standards in 1972, which expressed the need for "a separate Canadian list for topics not adequately covered by LCSH when the latter either does not specify a Canadian topic or uses a term...which conflicts with a Canadian viewpoint, terminology or government organization". The first edition of the publication CANADIAN SUBJECT HEADINGS appeared in 1978. Benefitting from experience gained through its application, I edited a completely reworked and expanded second edition, published in 1985. The updated and expanded third edition, which I also edited, was published in 1992. It has 550 pages and contains approximately 6 000 headings supported by many times that number of references. Like the second edition, it is kept up to date with a semi-annual cumulating supplement. NLN: How are Canadian Subject Headings used? AS: CSH are used, first and foremost, in CANADIANA, the Canadian national bibliography. CANADIANA data are available online through DOBIS and its successor AMICUS to about 700 subscribing institutions. Other Canadian libraries of all types, sizes and locations take from CSH whichever terms they need to arrange the Canadian part of their collections. There is growing interest in CSH outside Canada among institutions that collect Canadian materials or those planning supplementary lists that express their own divergent cultural content. (The most recent case of interest in using the CSH example came from Algeria.) A Library of Congress manual for subject analysis specialists also mentions CSH as a basic source when considering new headings. NLN: What new challenges to information retrieval are being presented by the electronic information highway? How will the content, form and emphasis of Canadian subject headings be affected? Will the globalization of networks change the need for information organization systems? AS: The information explosion has made the systematic organization of information all the more necessary. With technology now making the worldwide exchange of information possible, the need to standardize and harmonize retrieval systems such as subject headings is imperative. If our system differed too much from LCSH, Canada would be left out of the world information network. CSH has, in fact, always been LCSH-compatible, and the National Library is now entering a formal program of cooperation with the Library of Congress in the area of subject-retrieval terms. Of course, there will always be headings that describe topics that are unique to Canada and very important in the Canadian socio/cultural context, headings that would conflict with LCSH terms and will always remain as CSH headings. But there is plenty of room for synchronization in the interests of all in this age of global networks and shrinking resources. NLN: What are your recommendations for maximizing information retrieval potential? AS: Just as you cannot take advantage of your VCR if you do not know how to operate it, you cannot retrieve information successfully if you do not know how the system works. The universe of human knowledge is infinitely complex and interrelated, and it is growing and changing all the time. The user generally needs some advice from a specialist who is familiar with the system to obtain appropriate information. CSH has always put great stress on user guidance. Its introduction forms a sort of primer of subject headings with an index of main points and a short glossary of technical terms. The list contains numerous scope notes (explanations of what a heading covers). I place great emphasis on scope notes: in LCSH, there is an average of one scope note for every three pages, while in CSH, there is an average of three scope notes to a page. Scope notes have been almost an obsession of mine ever since I was a cataloguer and a reference librarian before I started editing CSH. That was when I learned the frustrations of the general user who was not an expert in subject retrieval. In this age of global communications, our clientele will become bigger and more heterogeneous. This, together with the growth in available data, justifies the CSH emphasis on being user-friendly -- a feature which evokes a particularly favourable response from our users. NLN: If you had one wish for efficient and effective retrieval of information, what would it be? AS: I would like to see all users informed and taking the time and trouble to acquaint themselves with the system they are using to maximize their retrieval rate. NLN: A summary of many years of dedicated work to provide information seekers with the best tool possible to maximize information-retrieval potential. ***** CANADIAN SUBJECT HEADINGS, THIRD EDITION and a regular series of semiannual cumulating supplements to CANADIAN SUBJECT HEADINGS, published in November and May each year, are available from the Canada Communication Group - Publishing, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0S9. Cost (CSH) : $22.00 in Canada, $26.40 elsewhere ISBN 0-660-57311-2. Cat. no. SN2-106/1992 RéPERTOIRE DE VEDETTES-MATIèRE, which lists French subject headings, is prepared by Université Laval in collaboration with the National Library of Canada and published twice yearly. One subscription costs $125.00, two cost $175.00. Contact: Louiselle Bélanger Répertoire de vedettes-matière Bibliothèque Université Laval Québec (Québec) G1K 7P4 Telephone: (418) 656-2131, ext. 6315 Fax: (418) 656-3910 ***** Equalizing Opportunity for Students with Disabilities: The Role of the National Library of Canada and Canadian University Libraries BY DIANE BAYS, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS Adapted from a speech given at the annual conference of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) in Hawana Cuba on August 24, 1994. Both speech and article were written after visits to eight university and college libraries in five provinces, and reflect considerations that should be taken into account when establishing and maintaining services for students with disabilities. Enrollment of students with disabilities at Canada's colleges and universities has risen steadily during the last decade, and they now comprise approximately eight percent of the student population. The provision of library services to these students is the responsibility of the library of the university or college. The National Library of Canada supports these libraries through two of its primary responsibilities, fostering library development in Canada, and coordinating resource sharing. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which became part of Canada's constitution in 1982, guarantees equality of access to public services to all Canadians regardless of physical or mental disability. Taking into account the Charter's equality provisions and the increasing enrollment of students with disabilities, universities and colleges across Canada are making efforts to remove barriers that disadvantage students with disabilities. Offices have been established to modify programs, services and facilities to accommodate students with disabilities. Examples of services include: captioning televised lectures for hearing- impaired students; building ramps for mobility-impaired students; giving additional time for examinations to students with learning disabilities; and providing textbooks and course materials in braille for blind students. Libraries are also involved in efforts to accommodate students with disabilities at universities and colleges, and are examining their facilities and services to identify and remove barriers to access. Effective programs foster independence and self-reliance in students while ensuring that they receive the additional support necessary for success. Programs that provide comprehensive access to library services have been established at several Canadian universities. These programs incorporate the following features: - Cooperation between libraries and offices for students with disabilities ensures that accommodation efforts on a campus are coordinated and expertise is shared. The offices for students with disabilities at the University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ontario and Queen's University, in Waterloo, Ontario have provided funds to hire a librarian to work with students with disabilities. - Making a library staff member responsible for developing services for students with disabilities demonstrates commitment. It also provides a personal contact for students, who may have little previous experience using libraries. Developing an awareness of the needs of students with disabilities in all library staff from security guards to reference librarians enables them to assist students confidently and effectively. Consultation with students as individuals or in groups ensures that services are meeting their needs. Some libraries have established advisory committees of students with disabilities; others rely on ongoing user feedback. - Accessible buildings enable students with mobility or visual impairments to move around the library independently and use services in the same locations as other students. - Identifying and removing barriers to access ensures that all students have access to all library services. For example, students with visual and mobility impairments need assistance with retrieving and moving books. Sign-language interpreters and electronic mail are being used by hearing- impaired students to communicate with library staff. Print-handicapped students require additional support in using libraries. Two services frequently provided are: - an adaptive equipment centre, which allows print- handicapped students to use library materials in the library. With adaptive equipment, students can convert information to alternative formats, consult books and serials in alternative format, take notes or write essays. Assistance in using equipment is offered in workshops or individual sessions so that students are able to work independently. - providing information in alternative format, which is vital for print-handicapped students. Libraries are offering access to bibliographic tools such as online catalogues, periodical indexes, and CD-ROMs. Both Crane Library at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, and Ferguson Library at St. Mary's University, Halifax, record books and articles on audiotapes, which are loaned to students across the country. In providing services to students with disabilities, Canadian libraries have been able to rely on the support of the National Library of Canada. Through two of its primary functions, fostering library development in Canada and coordinating resource sharing among Canadian libraries, the National Library supports the delivery of library services to Canadians with disabilities. The National Library has advocated the development of library services to Canadians with disabilities by all Canadian libraries since the International Year of the Disabled and the Handicapped (1981). The Library has developed guidelines, handbooks and directories, financed training videos, and provided extensive reference and advisory services. In 1992, the Library launched the Adaptive Technology for Libraries Program. The Program provides up to half the cost of equipment that converts printed or electronic information to large print, braille, or audio formats, thereby making accessible books, serials, and databases not available in alternative format. Applications to the Program are judged by an external committee, which assesses such factors as the library's knowledge of the user community (i.e., students with disabilities), the process used to decide on which equipment is needed, the improved access to information for students with disabilities, the plan for publicizing the availability of the equipment, and the assistance to be provided to library users. In the first three years of the Program, 25 university and college libraries (of a total of 63 successful applications) received funding. Some libraries established services for students with disabilities with the equipment acquired; others expanded services in additional locations on campus or augmented existing services. Closed circuit televisions and optical character scanners were acquired by 20 libraries to provide access to printed materials in large print, audio, and braille. The Program enabled 17 libraries to provide access to online catalogues, CD-ROMs and the Internet in braille, large print or audio. The National Library also supports library services to students with disabilities through its role as facilitator of resource sharing among Canadian libraries. In response to requests from librarians in the education sector for a bibliographic tool for identifying and lending materials in alternative formats, the National Library created CANUC:H, the Canadian Union Catalogue of Library Materials for the Print-Handicapped, in 1985. CANUC:H lists over 100 000 books and serials in large print, braille, audio and electronic formats held by more than 30 Canadian libraries and alternative format producers. Several of the libraries reporting holdings to CANUC:H are college and university libraries. This union catalogue is part of the National Library's bibliographic database, which is available online in 730 Canadian libraries across the country. Resource sharing of alternative format titles has enabled libraries to avoid duplicate production and provide material to students more quickly. The National Library is also loading selected CANUC:H records on BLND, the database of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped at the Library of Congress. BLND data will be issued on a CD-ROM, thus providing access to the holdings of alternative format producers in the United States, Ireland, and Canada in a format that can be searched by print-handicapped users. Canada has adopted a decentralized and cooperative approach to providing library services to students with disabilities, a method that involves both university and college libraries and the National Library of Canada. In the coming years universities, colleges and the National Library will continue to work together to maintain and expand these services so that Canadians with disabilities have equal opportunities to obtain a post-secondary education. ***** DID YOU KNOW... that the National Library of Canada is collecting core library statistics from Canadian libraries for 1994 (see "National Statistics for Canadian Libraries", NATIONAL LIBRARY NEWS, vol. 25, no. 12, December 1993, p. 12)? The survey questionnaire has now been distributed to the various provincial and territorial ministries responsible for public libraries, and they will provide responses for the public libraries under their jurisdiction. Library associations and libraries that have indicated their interest in participating in the program have also received the questionnaire. For more information, contact: Doug Hodges National and International Programs National Library of Canada 395 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N4 Telephone: (613) 996-7271 Fax: (613) 943-2946 TTY: (613) 992-6969 Internet: Doug.Hodges@nlc-bnc.ca ***** Sir Ernest MacMillan: Portrait BY MAUREEN NEVINS AND GILLES ST-LAURENT, MUSIC DIVISION Sir Ernest MacMillan, the most influential Canadian musicians of his time, devoted his life and energies to the service and advancement of music in our country. In an exhibition which opened on October 17 and is on display until March 12, 1995, the National Library of Canada pays tribute to the many facets of MacMillan's brilliant career as conductor, organist, pianist, composer, educator, writer and administrator (see "Sir Ernest MacMillan: Portrait of a Canadian Musician", NATIONAL LIBRARY NEWS, vol. 26, no. 11, November 1994, pp. 22). To complement the comprehensive exhibition souvenir publication, the National Library, in collaboration with Analekta Recording Inc. of Montreal, has produced a compact disc. It is available through the National Library's Marketing and Publishing office at a cost of $20.00 (taxes included). The CD comprises recorded performances by MacMillan as organist, pianist, composer and conductor. In making our choices, the principal objective was to select material that had not been previously released commercially. Choosing from among a large number of recordings proved to be quite a challenge as the Music Division holds not only the archives of the late Sir Ernest MacMillan but also those of his son Keith. Sir Ernest's archives include 232 audiotape reels and 52 audio discs, while those of his son include 181 audiotape reels, 139 audiotape cassettes and 2 audio discs, many of which are performances by his father. These are originals, that is, non-commercial recordings. The preliminary selection was based upon one criterion: the significance of the work in relationship to MacMillan's career. A lengthy listening session enabled us to eliminate recordings of poor sound quality, the second criterion. A further consideration was time, as the CD's playing time was not to exceed 75 minutes. The final selection is representative of MacMillan's career as performer, composer and conductor. The notes prepared for the CD liner comprise a biographical sketch and information on each of the selected works. The notes on the works are reproduced below. PRELUDE IN E-FLAT MAJOR (CLAVIERüBUNG III, BWV 552/1) -- J.S. Bach The CLAVIERüBUNG is the most extensive of Bach's keyboard works. This collection of organ pieces, divided into four parts and freely based on chorales, includes large-scale works for the church organ and small-scale ones for domestic instruments. As is well known, the PRELUDE and FUGUE IN E-FLAT MAJOR were separated originally, for they constituted the beginning and the end of CLAVIERüBUNG III. The fact that Bach published the two pieces in this manner would suggest that they had no connection. Nevertheless, Friedrich Griepenkerl, who was the first to place the PRELUDE and FUGUE together, referred to Johann Nikolaus Forkel as his authority for doing so. As the two pieces are so nearly allied in spirit and form, it follows that they should be recognized as a unit. Sir Ernest MacMillan performed excerpts from CLAVIERüBUNG III during his last public organ recital in Toronto given at Grace Church on-the- Hill on September 24, 1950. The concert was recorded by his son Keith and included the majestic PRELUDE IN E-FLAT MAJOR heard here. It was at this time that MacMillan pondered his career as a recital organist. He felt it critical to decide either to devote more time to the instrument and resume a career at the organ, or to abandon it in favour of the multitude of other responsibilities and duties to which he was committed. He chose the latter. SONATA NO. 2 IN G MAJOR, op. 13, for violin and pianoforte -- Edvard Grieg II. Allegretto tranquillo Grieg's repertoire of chamber music was relatively small, comprising three violin sonatas, one cello sonata and one string quartet. The first of his violin sonatas (op. 8 in F major) was composed in 1865, the second followed two years later and the third (op. 45 in C minor), his last completed chamber work, in 1887. The sonatas are duets for two instruments of equal status. Grieg could not, and did not, overshadow the stringed instrument by over-indulging the piano. Nor did he attain a convincing musical fusion between the two instruments. His most frequent device in attempting to achieve this was to employ imitational writing; however, the musical interest in the sonatas often lies in one instrument or the other, but not in both at the same time. In the early 1940s, Sir Ernest MacMillan embarked on his most serious chamber music venture as a recital pianist, in association with the renowned violinist Kathleen Parlow and the cellist Zara Nelsova. The three formed the Canadian Trio which frequently appeared in Toronto and southern Ontario. MacMillan also teamed up with Parlow to form the Canadian Duo. A series of six of their sonata recitals was broadcast nationally by the CBC, including this performance of October 13, 1941. ENGLAND -- Sir Ernest MacMillan Overture Sir Ernest MacMillan composed his most extensive work during World War I, while he was interned at Ruhleben. This setting for soprano and baritone SOLI, chorus and orchestra to Algernon Charles Swinburne's ode "England" served as MacMillan's "exercise" for the degree of Doctor of Music, conferred IN ABSENTIA by Oxford University. The work is divided into three parts, preceded by an overture. The Overture itself is worthy of independent performance as much of the subsequent music is a consistent development of material initially presented in the overture. Although the work received its Canadian première in 1921, this performance some twenty years later (January 21, 1941) by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Conservatory Choir and soloists Frances James (soprano) and Harvey Doney (baritone), broadcast by the CBC, proved a momentous occasion for both historical and patriotic reasons. It was the first performance with the composer conducting, and Swinburne's inspirational words in praise of England harmonized with the sentiments of the audience concerning the world crisis and the conflagration in Europe. SIX BERGERETTES DU BAS-CANADA -- arr. Sir Ernest MacMillan This cycle comprises songs collected by the noted Canadian anthropologist, ethnologist and folklorist Marius Barbeau. At his request, Sir Ernest MacMillan set them in sequence. Although Barbeau suggested their order, there is no particular plot or story line. The songs have been used without alteration in the form in which they were originally transcribed from various folk singers of rural Quebec. The work, for voices and small instrumental emsemble (oboe, viola, cello and harp), was written for the second CPR Quebec Festival held in 1928. As the term BERGERETTE implies, these songs in the style of 18th-century pastoral love songs, laments and stories were supposedly sung by shepherds and shepherdesses. This recording is that of a performance given on July 8, 1961 at the concert hall of the Jeunesses musicales of Canada camp at Mount Orford, Quebec. The soloists were the soprano Renée Maheu and the tenor Jean-Paul Jeannotte. THE PLANETS -- Gustav Holst 1. Mars 2. Venus 3. Mercury 4. Jupiter This work has become a standard item in the repertoire of the world's symphony orchestras, and sounds as fresh and meaningful in the late twentieth century as it did when first performed in 1918. Its seven movements (Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) deal with the mysterious qualities associated with the chief celestial bodies. Holst, who was no mere dabbler in astrology, gives an accurate and detailed musical outline of the human passions and experiences which each planet is said to influence. Although the influence of Stravinsky is obvious, most of THE PLANETS is written in Holst's own language. This was the first large- scale work in which he succeeded in expressing himself fully. THE PLANETS became the most often repeated piece during Sir Ernest MacMillan's tenure as conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and was one of the Orchestra's first recorded works. This recording of the initial four movements, featuring MacMillan conducting the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, was originally released by RCA Victor in 1942. In 1993, the CBC rebroadcast the performance of Grieg's SONATA NO. 2 IN G MAJOR by Kathleen Parlow and MacMillan, after having digitally processed the recording to remove noises inherent in older acetate recordings. It is a copy of this recording which the National Library used on the master. The Overture from ENGLAND (also recorded on acetate) and Holst's THE PLANETS (pressed on shellac 78s) were sent to Quintessential Sound, Inc. in New York City for digital processing. The master, assembled in-house, was sent to Analekta for manufacturing. It is our hope that this CD will exemplify MacMillan's diverse talents. To order a copy, contact: Marketing and Publishing National Library of Canada 395 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N4 Telephone: (613) 995-7969 Fax: (613) 991-9871 TTY: (613) Internet: publications@nlc-bnc.ca ***** Obituary Dr. Stephen Willis, head of the archival collections of the National Library of Canada's Music Division for the last 17 years and a member of the Library's staff for almost 20, lost his battle against cancer on September 11. He was 47 years old. In addition to his work at the National Library, his distinguished career included a period as a teaching fellow at Columbia University, New York, teaching at the University of Ottawa and serving on the boards of a number of musical associations. He was the archivist for the Canadian Association of Music Libraries and the Ottawa branch of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. A specialist in French 19th-century opera, he was a contributor to numerous publications, including the NEW GROVE DICTIONARY OF OPERA and the ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MUSIC IN CANADA. He was also a performer: a soloist at Knox Presbyterian Church and a chorister with Opera Lyra, the Cantata Singers and various other choirs in and around Ottawa. Stephen's knowledge and love of music were honoured in a sung Eucharist celebrating his life at St. Barnabas Anglican Church, Ottawa, on September 14, 1994. ***** Cultures Canada '94 BY RANDALL WARE, PUBLIC PROGRAMS During the last concert of this summer's Cultures Canada program, my worst nightmare came true. With the auditorium full to capacity and Beverley Johnston, the accomplished solo percussionist, in full flight, a bat emerged from a ceiling recess and began to circle the auditorium at a leisurely speed. Undaunted, Beverley finished her piece, and then asked me to join her on the stage. I assured the audience that there was nothing to fear and that a pest control firm had been called. Everyone -- well, almost everyone -- took it in good spirits, the bat finally came to rest at the rear of the auditorium, and Beverley delivered a superb concert that had the crowd members on their feet at its conclusion. It was a summer in which most things went right. This was the third year that the National Library participated in Cultures Canada along with our partners, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the National Capital Commission, the National Arts Centre, and the National Gallery of Canada. Cultures Canada has a dual purpose: to showcase the wealth and diversity of Canadian talent, and to provide a summer-long performing arts program for the residents of National Capital Region and the many tourists who visit. This year, the participating organizations chose themes for selected weekends such as "Atlantic Tide" and "Fête Caribe" and programmed accordingly. The result: crowd-pleasing events that attracted a lot of local publicity. As well, each of the five institutions worked along certain artistic lines; the Library chose to offer jazz and classical music throughout the summer. The fact that there are few classical music performances in the area during the summer served us well, as did our reputation for being Ottawa's best year- round jazz venue. Our summer audience was a good mix of tourists, many of them visiting our building for the first time, and residents who made a habit of being here each Monday evening. The Friends of the National Library assisted with refreshments at each concert and sold the recordings of the musicians at the same time. The overall feeling was pleasant, relaxed and friendly. At several of the concerts in early July, most notably that of the group Quartetto Gelato, we were forced to turn away hundreds of people at the door. Our average attendance for the summer program was 98 percent of capacity, strong testimony to the excellent publicity we received and to the reputation of the outstanding musicans who performed for us. Among them: the Mike Murley Quartet, the Lorraine Desmarais Quartet, the Hertz Trio, Claudio Jaffe, Harold Faustin, and Joseph Petric and Pauline Oliveros. We are already looking forward to next summer's program. Hope to see you there. Oh, and the bat got away safely! ***** DID YOU KNOW... that Thistledown Press has recently published large-print versions of three books by Gertrude Story? THE LAST HOUSE ON MAIN STREET, HOW TO SAW WOOD WITH AN ANGEL and AFTER SIXTY: GOING HOME are the first English-language books published through the National Library of Canada's Large Print Publishing Program, which provides funding to Canadian publishers to publish large-print versions of works by Canadian authors. ***** Friends Helping Friends The Friends of the National Library of Canada are proving themselves to be friends indeed. The three-year-old organization, which is chaired by Grete Hale and has Georgia Ellis as Executive Director, supports Library activities in various ways. The Friends are perhaps most visible during the summer months, when they welcome visitors to the Library, run a gift boutique in the main lobby, and give guided tours around the building. This summer, Friends in the boutique sold merchandise ranging from notecards, T-shirts and bags to CDs and exhibition catalogues, and gave some 250 tours to 800 visitors from the United States, Japan, Europe and every part of Canada. The dedicated Friends on duty this year were: Lois Burrell, Bea Cauet, Greta and Bud Cumming, George Devine, Eve Elliott, Shirley Hendry, Helen Jelich, Trudi LeCaine, Carrol Lunau, Rosemary Lydon, Alex and Helen Mason, Yolande McCay, Daphne McCree, Anna Rovira, Kathleen Shaw, Natalie Tomcio, Liana Van der Bellen, Winn Wanczycki and Edna Wilson. And that is only part of the story. During the year, Friends racked up an impressive 2 100 hours of volunteer work in the boutique, on tours and in the Friends office. In addition, their presence at the Cultures Canada concerts during the summer and the other cultural events held at the Library during the year, particularly the Governor General Literary Awards Winners Reading Gala and the first National Library Lecture, provided much-appreciated support on particularly busy occasions. The Friends have also given valuable assistance to the Library's collections by donating books and raising funds to help purchase rare items. The Friends' Acquisition Project has been involved in such important purchases as John Dee's GENERAL AND RARE MEMORIALS PERTAYNING TO THE PERFECT ART OF NAVIGATION (printed in London by John Daye, 1577), A STATEMENT SUBMITTED BY LIEUTENANT COLONEL DESBARRES FOR CONSIDERATION (London, 1795?) and such livres d'artistes as THE FABLE OF THE BEES and CENT PEINTURES RENDANT HOMMAGE à MARIE CHAPDELAINE. In just three years, the Friends of the National Library of Canada have proved themselves invaluable. "They are a great support in doing what we cannot do ourselves," says Gwynneth Evans, the National Library's Director-General of Communications. "We appreciate and value their work very much." "It is so important for us to have the support of our Friends," notes National Librarian Marianne Scott. "Their contribution means even more in these difficult and challenging times. Thanks to all our Friends and, particularly, to the volunteers," ***** MARC Format Integration: Update The National Library of Canada announced in 1991 that the Library would implement Format Integration in early 1994 (see "MARC Format Integration -- Early Implementation" by Young-Hee Queinnec, NATIONAL LIBRARY NEWS, vol. 23, no. 2, February 1994, p. 7). However, the North American format integration implementation group, which consists of representatives from the Library of Congress, the National Library of Canada, OCLC, Research Libraries Information Network (RLIN), ISM (formerly UTLAS), and Western Library Network (WLN), has subsequently changed its initial plan and agreed to a two-phase approach. In the first phase only the variable fields (fields 010-9XX) will be implemented. This phase is to be completed by the end of 1994. The second phase will deal with the Leader and the fixed fields (fields 006, 007, and 008), and will be completed by the end of 1995. MARC records distributed by the National Library of Canada after January 1, 1995 may contain the additions and changes made to the variable fields. The changes to the Leader and the fixed fields are expected to appear in records distributed after January 1, 1996. The new edition of the CAN/MARC bibliographic format (CANADIAN MARC COMMUNICATION FORMAT FOR BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA) published earlier this year includes all the FI changes as well as those approved up to the end of 1993. Since the changes to the Leader and the fixed fields will not be implemented until January 1, 1996, the Leader and the fixed fields specifications in the old edition will remain in force until the end of 1995. The new edition of the format is available from: Canada Communication Group - Publishing Ottawa, Canada K1A 0S9 Telephone: (613) 956-4802 or 956-4800 CANADIAN MARC COMMUNICATION FORMAT FOR BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA (Ottawa: Canadian MARC Office, National Library of Canada, 1994) ISBN 0-660-15355-6 Cat. No. SN3-40/2-1993E $95.00 (Canada); $123.50 (other countries) Enquiries about the contents of the format should be directed to: Young-Hee Queinnec Chief, Canadian MARC Office National Library of Canada 395 Wellington Street Ottawa K1A 0N4 Telephone: (819) 994-6936 Fax: (819) 994-6835 TTY: (613) 992-6969 Internet: yhq@its.nlc-bnc.ca ***** AMICUS Newsletter AMICUS Quiz: Questions...and Answers In the November 1994 issue of NATIONAL LIBRARY NEWS, we published some of the AMICUS quiz questions that National Library staff were invited to answer during the spring and summer. Following are the answers and the names of the staff members who answer all questions correctly and received desk clocks featuring the AMICUS logo as prizes. Congratulations! - What does the Latin word "AMICUS" mean in English or French? FRIEND - Identify 3 differences between the DOBIS system and the AMICUS system (the name doesn't count!). - AMICUS SUPPORTS BOOLEAN SEARCHING - AMICUS IMPLEMENTS CLIENT/SERVER ARCHITECTURE - ILL IS SIMPLER ON AMICUS - CONTAINS MORE THAN FOUR TIMES THE NUMBER OF INDICES AND LIMITERS IN DOBIS - AMICUS HAS INTEGRATED BILLING AND USER PROFILES - What is ACCESS AMICUS? ACCESS AMICUS IS THE NEW SEARCH SERVICE REPLACING THE DOBIS SEARCH SERVICE. - AMICUS uses Boolean operators like "and" to connect search terms. Name another operator. "OR", "NOT" - Name three colours in the AMICUS logo. RED, YELLOW & BLUE -- PLUS MOST OF THE REST OF THE RAINBOW AND BLACK! And the winners are... Bernadette Auger, Joy Bell, Danielle Benoit, Sandra Burrows, Marie Lanouette, Diane Lanthier, Carrol Lunau, Robert Mainville, Lucie Mireault, Bill Murphy, Barbara Norman, Louise Tousignant, Tom Tytor, Henry Watt, and Iris Winston. Thanks to all participants! ***** At Your Disposal! Backfiles of Foreign Serials In January 1994, the National Library offered to the Canadian library community 112 foreign serial titles that were being culled from its collection (see "Deselection of Foreign Serials: An Update" by Francine Bédard, NATIONAL LIBRARY NEWS, vol. 26, no. 1, January 1994, pp.15-17). The National Library is pleased to offer a second group of foreign serials to the Canadian library community. Libraries that acquire these backfiles will agree to the following conditions: 1. To take the whole run and to retain backfiles. 2. To send the titles to the National Library's Canadian Book Exchange Centre if, at a later date, a decision is made to dispose of them. 3. To make the material available either on interlibrary loan or as photocopies. 4. To report holdings and changes in holdings status to the National Library's Union Catalogue. 5. To maintain a current subscription to titles received. 6. To pay for the delivery of the serials. If you wish to acquire a copy of the list of deselected titles or to obtain additional information, please contact: Pierre Gamache Acting Chief Canadian Book Exchange Centre National Library of Canada 395 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N4 Telephone: (613) 952-8904 Fax: (613) 954-9891 TTY: (613) 992-6969 Internet: Pierre.Gamache@nlc-bnc.ca ***** Joint Information and Registration Service Established On September 12, the National Library of Canada and the National Archives of Canada opened a joint information and registration service in the lobby of the headquarters building at 395 Wellington Street. The purpose is to improve service to researchers and visitors by providing a single "entrance" to the two institutions. The service will be staffed jointly by the Library and the Archives. Staff will provide basic information on the respective collections and services of the two institutions. Staff will also register researchers and refer them to the appropriate institution for their research, thus eliminating the need for two separate orientation desks. Responsibility for the orientation service will be shared by the Reference and Information Services Division of the National Library and Researchers Services of the National Archives. For further information, please contact Cecilia Muir (613-992-0655) of the National Library, or David Enns (613-995-6055) of the National Archives. ***** AVAILABLE FROM THE NATIONAL LIBRARY... Gifts for all seasons! Award-Winning Videos KEEPERS OF THE PAST AND PRESENT In a fast-moving 14 minutes, KEEPERS OF THE PAST AND PRESENT provides a wealth of information about the National Library of Canada. This informative and amusing video is an ideal way for librarians to provide a graphic explanation of the National Library's role in working with libraries across Canada to ensure that the nation's heritage is preserved, known, and enjoyed by present and future generations. Price: $19.95 per copy, plus GST THE NORTH: LANDSCAPE OF THE IMAGINATION Exhibition held at the National Library of Canada from October 28, 1993 to March 27, 1994 The Canadian Arctic has been described in Norse legends, reproduced in paintings and sketches by early seamen or explorers, recreated through hundreds of years of Inuit sculpture, and painted, filmed and photographed by more contemporary artists. It has provided a rich setting for fiction, and has inspired countless legends, poems and stories. The National Library of Canada has produced a 16-minute closed-captioned video that shows you images from the published material in the exhibition, and, together with words and music, will give you a sense of the North and of the exhibition. Price: $19.95 per copy, plus GST Free copies of the exhibition poster are also available. Poster Read Up On It A limited quantity of the popular 1994-1995 Read Up On It poster, autographed by the artist, Marie-Louise Gay, is available for purchase from the Friends of the National Library of Canada. Full-colour, 16 X 20 inches Price: $10.00 per copy (G.S.T. included) And... Compact Disc SIR ERNEST MACMILLAN: PORTRAIT (see pp. 8-9 in this issue) Price: $20.00 per copy (taxes included) All cheques/money orders payable to the Receiver General for Canada except for the purchase of Read Up On It poster. Cheques/money orders for RUOI poster payable to the Friends of the National Library. All items available from: Marketing and Publishing National Library of Canada 395 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N4 Telephone: (613) 995-7969 Fax: (613) 991-9871 TTY: (613) 992-6969 Internet: publications@nlc-bnc.ca ***** Season's Greetings As part of the National Library's celebration of the International Year of the Family, we are featuring some of the many books in the Library's collection that focus on families and the festive season. ***** End of text _______________________________ 1"Recorded Sound Production", The Encyclopedia of Music in Canada (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1992), p. 1111. 2Brian Rust, The American Dance Band Discography: 1917 to 1942, vol. 2 (New Rochelle, N.Y.: Arlington House, 1975), pp. 1109-1126. .