Music & Musicians

Start your music research here!

Find Sheet Music & Music Scores

image of wavy staff of musical notesThe easiest way to find music scores in the SUNY Adirondack Library is to go to the upper floor of the library and browse in the music call number area M 1000 to M 1500. Ask a librarian to direct you if needed. You'll find the scores section easily - most are oversized books in the same section.

New Music Books, Scores, & More

Find Books about Music & Musicians

To find a book about your musician or a music topic:

  • enter a name or term into the Start Your Research Here search box and
  • limit it to Books using the dropdown menu (this limit includes physical books and ebooks, if you just want ebooks limit it to Ebooks)
  • click Search
  • to limit to just physical books, scroll down the page to Library Location in the left column and click on Circulating Books

stack of booksYou may borrow circulating books for four weeks. 

Search tips: 

  • Most of the books that will be useful to you will be in the ML section on the second floor of the Library. 
  • If you do not find an entire book just on your musician, enter the genre of music in which your musician composed or participated: Rock Music, Jazz, Rap Music, etc.
  • To access ebooks off campus, you will need to log in with your username and password.

 
Below are a few examples of books about music and musicians that the library has to offer. New items added to the library collection are listed at the bottom of this page.

Find Music CDs & DVDs

To find a music CD:

  • enter your search term (a composer or musician, the name of a work, etc) into the Start Your Research Here search box on the library's home page
    • to see all CDs, leave the search box blank
  • leave the dropdown box at All Resources
  • hit Search
  • scroll down the page until you see Library Location in the left column
  • click on Audio CDs

All of the CDs are located on the second floor of the library near the Research Help Desk. They are organized by call number. For assistance, ask the librarian at the Research Help Desk.

CDs may be borrowed for two weeks.

To find a music DVD:

  • enter your search term (a composer or musician, the name of a work, etc.) into the Start Your Research Here search box on the library's home page
    • to see all DVDs, leave the search box blank
  • limit the search to Videos in the dropdown box
  • hit Search
  • scroll down the page until you see Library Location in the left column
  • click on DVDs
    • the library also has a small collection of VHS tapes, which you can see by clicking on Video Tapes instead of DVDs

DVDs (and VHS tapes) can not be borrowed from the library, but they can be viewed in the library.

The library also offers streaming video through the database Films on Demand. See the Films on Demand box below for more information.

 
Here are a few examples of music CDs and DVDs the library has to offer:

Finding Audio CDs on the Shelf

Audio CDs in the SUNY Adirondack Library are cataloged based on the ANSCR (Alpha-Numeric System for Classification of Recordings) System. The ANSCR system classifies sound recordings based on 46 different categories.

The ANSCR Classification System for Sound Recordings            
                   
A Music Appreciation: History and Commentary                
B Operas: Complete and Highlights                
C Choral Music                 
D Vocal Music                
(E) Orchestral music                
EA Orchestral music: General Orchestral                
EB Orchestral music: Ballet Music                
EC Orchestral music: Concertos                
ES Orchestral music: Symphonies                
F Chamber Music                
(G) Solo Instrumental Music                 
GG Solo Instrumental Music: Guitar                
GO Solo Instrumental Music: Organ                
GP Solo Instrumental Music: Piano                
GS Solo Instrumental Music: Stringed Instruments                
GV Solo Instrumental Music: Violin                
GW Solo Instrumental Music: Wind Instruments                
GX Solo Instrumental Music: Percussion Instruments                
H Band Music                
J Electronic, Mechanical Music                
K Musical Shows and Operettas: Complete and Excerpts                
L Soundtrack Music: Motion Pictures and Television                
MA Popular Music                
MC Country/Western                
MG Contemporary Christian/Gospel                
MJ Jazz                
MN New Age                
MR Rock, Rhythm and Blues, etc.                
P Folk and Ethnic Music (National)                
Q Folk and Ethnic Music (International)                
R Holiday Music                
RC Christmas Music                
S Varieties and Humor                
SR Varieties and Humor: Radio Transcriptions                
ST Varieties and Humor: Television Transcriptions                
T Plays                
U Poetry                
V Prose (Fiction)                
VN Prose (Nonfiction)                
W Documentary: History and Commentary                
X Instructional or Informational Spoken Recordings                
Y Sounds and Special Effects                
(Z) Children's Recordings                 
ZI Children's Recordings: Instructional                
ZM Children's Recordings: Music                
ZR Children's Recordings: Holiday Music                
ZRC Children's Recordings: Christmas Music                
ZS Children's Recordings: Spoken                
ZU Children's Recordings: Poetry                

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