Observation: Special Collections

As part of my practicum in November/December 2011, I shadowed the music librarian at the State Library of Western Australia. I have always been interested in becoming a subject specialist or a librarian who works with a special collection, and wanted to observe what skills and knowledge are required in that type of role.

I first viewed theThe WA State Library's music collection on a tour, as part of the 5th New Librarians Symposium. The collection is one of the largest in the country, with over 70,000 scores available for loan, and not all of it is on the shelves. In addition, there are books and recordings on vinyl and CD.

The music subject specialist, Allison Fyfe, was very patient as she showed me how to search the catalogue, locate items in the stacks, and check that all the parts of a score had been returned. It is not as simple as checking things off on a list. A background in music and the Romance languages is desirable,  as the scores are often titled and catalogued in other languages, with parts of music labeled klavier, not piano.

When a patron needed a score that wasn't on the shelves, Alison would put in a request for someone to pull it from the stacks. I was surprised that this process only took place twice an hour, and even more surprised that most people were content to wait. My customer service training balked at keeping someone waiting, but I'm sure it is more efficient for staff to perform retrievals at set times of the day.

Allison has come by her considerable knowledge through studying music throughout her life. I observed her responding to a patron's request by humming the answer. I can certainly appreciate the specialist knowledge and research skills needed to fill this position - you never know what a patron may ask.


Allison Fyfe has since retired.