Libraries in music teaching institutions branch.
The first session of the Libraries in Music Teaching Institutions Branch took place on Wednesday morning during the conference week. The main speaker was Johannes Johansson, President of the European Association of Conservatoires (AEC). The Association represents more than 270 institutions in 55 countries. Many equivalent institutions outside Europe are associated members. AEC and IAML are in the process of formulating a so called mutual "Memorandum of Understanding", aimed at a collaboration to promote higher education in music.Mr. Johansson gave a presentation of AEC and its activities, with a special focus on the Bologna Process. Central issues like artistic research, learning outcomes and quality assurance were discussed. Mr. Johansson emphasized that artistic research is a new paradigm and not a subdivision of humanities. Bibliometrics have become increasingly important as quality assurance indicators, but how do we measure artistic production? This is crucial since it affects funding and it is an area where librarians can play a significant role.
The second speaker was Pia Shekhter from the Academy of Music and Drama, University of Gothenburg. Her talk dealt with another important issue in connection with the Bologna Process, namely "Information Literacy". The Bologna agreement states that information literacy is one of the "generic skills" that should be included in the curriculum for all students. The meaning of information literacy is, however, dependent on the various traditions, methods and conditions of different disciplines. This is especially noticeable, and quite problematic, for a librarian working at a music conservatoire. Despite some uncertainty the speaker felt optimistic about the future. She thought that the Bologna reform, the recognition of the importance of lifelong learning and heightened competition between the seats of learning would speed up the process of using librarians as a pedagogical resource. She also believed that the newly instigated collaboration between the Libraries in Music Teaching Institutions Branch and the European Association of Conservatoires would be constructive.
The final speaker during the session was Johan Eeckeloo from the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Brussels. The presentation focused on different definitions and models of artistic research and the consequences for the music library. Mr. Eeckeloo finished by quoting Francois-Joseph Fetis, a Belgian musicologist of the 19th century, who said: "The best possible library is the one that matches with the taste and the needs of its owner."
The session finished with a vivid discussion. Many people in the audience took advantage of the opportunity to address the President of AEC with matters of concern to them.
Pia Shekhter
Chair
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| Title Annotation: | PROFESSIONAL BRANCHES |
|---|---|
| Author: | Shekhter, Pia |
| Publication: | Fontes Artis Musicae |
| Article Type: | Conference notes |
| Geographic Code: | 4E |
| Date: | Oct 1, 2010 |
| Words: | 415 |
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