 Tips for finding music
Our collection
We are pleased to offer a large and diverse
collection of music CDs. Our CDs are located on
Level 2, shelved in the following categories:
- Blues
- Chamber
- Choral
- Concerto
- Country
- Dance
- Folk Music
- Instrumental
- Jazz
- Meditation
- Musical Show
- New Age
- Opera
- Orchestral
- Popular
- Sound Effects
- Soundtrack
- Symphony (not adding to this category; new symphonies are categorized as Orchestral)
- Vocal
- Wedding
- World
There is also a small collection of CDs in the Teen Room on Level 1, alphabetical by artist.
Searching the catalog for music CDs
In the catalog, enter any combination of words, in any order, into the keyword search box: artist's name, title of song or album.
The more words you enter, the fewer CDs you will retrieve. Do not use the word and.
examples
- justin bieber
- justin bieber my world
- beethoven symphony #5 or Beethoven symphony no. 5
- goat rodeo
- regina spektor cheap seats or regina cheap seats (misspelling spektor will yield no results)
To be sure you retrieve CDs only...
... look for a dropdown box that
reads All Formats and select Music. If
you are doing an advanced search, look
for Search Filters and select Music from
the list of Item Types. Entering Justin Bieber yields 40 results. Entering Justin Bieber limited to music retrieves only 16, because his name is associated also with books and videos.
Using a subject search for music (e.g., jazz) is not recommended because the number of results will be too large. Try jazz trumpet or jazz vocal, etc. as keywords instead. Subject searches sometimes yield no results because the music subject headings from the Library of Congress are often not the words you would expect.
Music call numbers decoded
An item's call number indicates where it is shelved. The call number of a music CD indicates the musical category, then the first three letters of the artist or title. Music is filed alphabetically by the first three letters under the category.
examples:
| music CD |
call number in the catalog |
where it's shelved |
| Nothing but the best sung by Frank Sinatra |
CD Popular SIN |
on Level 2 in the Popular category, alphabetized under SIN |
| In these times sung by the group Peter, Paul & Mary |
CD Folk Music PET |
on Level 2 in the Folk Music category under PET |
| Justin Bieber My World |
CD Popular BIE
Teen CD BIE |
the copy with call number CD Popular BIE is on Level 2 in the Popular category under BIE
the copy with call number Teen CD BIE is on Level 1 in the Teen Room |
Tips for searching classical music
The more information you enter into the keyword box, the better your chance of retrieving what you want.
Enter as much as you know: composer, instrument, type of piece (such as sonata), key (e major), performer, conductor,
symphony or sonata # or no. (e.g., sonata op. 32).
examples
- Brahms piano violin sonata
- Gershwin rhapsody blue Bernstein
- Elgar cello concerto yo ma
- Mozart symphony #41
- chopin etudes op. 32
- beethoven piano sonata #109
- Tchaikovsky symphony no. 5
Looking for a music DVD?
DVDs of musical shows (Chicago, Rent) are interfiled with feature DVDs on Level 1 and have Feature in the call number. E.g., Chicago: DVD/CHI Feature
Ballet, opera and music performance DVDs are filed on Level 2 outside the director's office. For example,
- Elvis on Elvis: DVD ELV / Music
- Carmen: DVD CAR / Opera
- Nutcracker Ballet: DVD NUT / Ballet
Looking for sheet music?
We have many books of popular (782.42)
and Broadway (782.14)
music. You can search the catalog for
individual songs by selecting "Notated
music" in the drop down menu in the
search box and entering the song title
in the keyword box.
Ask a reference librarian to help! Call the reference desk from the telephone on the desk on Level 2, ext 31 or 32.
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