Hayden Memorial Library, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Registration form and conference website here
SCHEDULE of the DAY
9:00am – 9:45am – Reception and welcome (a representative from Theodore Front will be present during this time for those who are interested in connecting)
9:45am – Welcome
10:00-10:45am – Not Just a PDF on a Website: Outreach to Composition Students about Copyright and Self-Publishing
Marci Cohen, recently retired as Head of the Music Library at Boston University
10:45am – 11:00am – Break
11:00am – 12:00n This Class Is a Work in Progress: Reflecting on Teaching
NEMLA Instruction committee, Carol Lubkowski, Kerry Masteller, and Donna Maher
12:00n – 1:30pm – Lunch (on your own)
1:30pm – 2:00pm – Business meeting
2:00pm – 2:45pm – Afrofuturism and Otherworldliness: Sun Ra, Parliament-Funkadelic, George Clinton, Erykah Badu, Octavia E. Butler, Digable Planets, Janelle Monae, Flying Lotus, Grace Jones, Missy Elliott…
a discussion of the current exhibit at the Lewis Music Library
Avery Boddie, Lewis Music Library Department Head
3:00pm – Reception, Lewis Music Library
3:30pm -4:00pm – Optional tour of the new Edward and Joyce Linde Music Building (Building W18) at MIT.
This is a bit of walk, but we well worth it if you are so inclined
Sessions
Not just a PDF on a Website: Outreach to Composition Students about Copyright and Self-Publishing
Raising the subject of eScores among any gathering of music librarians will prompt lamentations of woe. With the floodgates of eScore self-published open, music library workers are twisting themselves in knots dealing with the binding and copyright implications. What if, instead of just talking to ourselves, we educated the upcoming generation of composers on these considerations? What if we did it from the perspective of teaching them how to make money from their compositions? This session will discuss a workshop created for the composition students at Boston University, including its genesis and reception. The workshop addressed performing rights organizations, the basics of copyright from the composers’ perspective, why they should include licensing terms that fit with library and performer needs, editing and typesetting their scores and parts, and how to publicize their works to the library market. Attendees will gain knowledge on how to replicate this with their own constituencies for the benefit of composers, performers, and libraries.
Marci Cohen recently retired as the Head of the Music Library at Boston University Libraries, where she worked 2015-2025, primarily in the Music Library but also for a stint as Head of Instruction and Consultation. She was previously a reference librarian at Berklee College of Music and a Multimedia Librarian at Northbrook (IL) Public Library. An active member of the Music Library Association, she served as the editor of the organization’s copyright website. Prior to entering librarianship, Marci was an intellectual property paralegal and a popular music journalist. She has delivered guest lectures on copyright for the Simmons University music librarianship course. Marci earned a BS, Economics, from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania; an MLS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and an MA in Music from Tufts University.
This Class Is a Work in Progress: Reflecting on Teaching
The NEMLA Instruction Committee will present a series of instruction dilemmas and/or modules-in-progress to the attendees. We will solicit feedback and discussion from the attendees regarding solutions and improvements for these instruction problems, to make this an interactive session. Attendees who do not routinely offer library instruction will learn about methods their teaching colleagues use in the classroom, and how they assess and rework their teaching. Attendees who do teach will be able to share their experience, challenges, and tips for success.
Carol Lubkowski, Music Librarian, Wellesley College
Kerry Masteller, Music Librarian for Scholarly Communications and Digital Programs, Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library, Harvard University
Donna Maher, Reference and Instruction Librarian, University of Maine at Augusta
Afrofuturism and Otherworldliness : Sun Ra, Parliament-Funkadelic, George Clinton, Erykah Badu, Octavia E. Butler, Digable Planets, Janelle Monae, Flying Lotus, Grace Jones, Missy Elliott, and more…
Avery Boddie, Director of the Lewis Music Library, MIT.
This exhibit celebrates the visionary contributions of Afrofuturist artists across various genres and mediums. From the cosmic jazz of Sun Ra and the psychedelic funk of Parliament-Funkadelic and George Clinton, to the neo-soul of Erykah Badu and the sci-fi narratives of Octavia E. Butler, these artists have pushed the boundaries of creativity and imagination. The exhibit may be viewed in the Lewis Music Library following the presentation.
Please note: because of the location of the exhibit, access to the exhibit itself will only be possible for in-person attendees. The presentation will, however, be available to virtual attendees.
Avery Boddie