Our Picks: Music Books
Our Picks: Spring-Summer 2026 Edition
Letters for the Ages Great Musicians by James Drake (Anthology Editor) , Edward Smyth (Anthology Editor)
Faith, Family, and Flag: Branson Entertainment and the Idea of America
By Joanna Dee Das
Opera and the Built Environment by Laura Vasilyeva
Our Picks: Fall-Winter 2025-26 Edition
Opera and the Built Environment by Laura Vasilyeva
The Understudy, A Novel by Morgan Richter
Pan, A Novel, by Michael Clune
Faith, Family, and Flag: Branson Entertainment and the Idea of America By Joanna Dee Das
Our Picks: Summer-Fall 2025 Edition
The Unexpected Diva by Tiffany Warren
The Shortest History of Music: From Bone Flutes to Synthesizers, Hildegard of Bingen to Beyoncé… by Andrew Ford
Resonant Minds by Sheila Leila & Mort Sherman
Our Picks: Spring-Summer 2025 Edition
The Unexpected Diva by Tiffany Warren
Tchaikovsky’s Empire: A New Life of Russia’s Great Composer by Simon Morrison
The Shortest History of Music: From Bone Flutes to Synthesizers, Hildegard of Bingen to Beyoncé… by Andrew Ford
South Side Impresarios How Race Women Transformed Chicago's Classical Music Scene by Samantha Ege
Ira Gershwin: A Life in Words by Michael Owen
Juilliard School Library Music Manuscripts: By and For Performers Edited by Jane Gottlieb, with Richard Griscom
Music Marketing for the DIY Musician Creating and Executing a Plan of Attack on a Low Budget, Third Edition by Bobby Borg
*Childrens Book Pick
A Symphony of Stories Musical Myths and Tuneful Tales by James Mayhew
Who is Your Audience?
Knowing your residents and how they use your collection can make a huge difference when offering the arts in your collection or in programming. Below are some helpful categories to help you make a better decision when choosing items or introducing items to library patrons.
NOVICE
A novice is a patron who does not know about the arts but is looking for new interests. Items pertaining to novices are for public collections that call for the library to introduce the arts to these patrons and ignite their interests. They often know much more about popular culture than what’s happening in the arts.
EXPLORER
These items are for customers who have some knowledge of the arts and want to learn more. Oftentimes explorers stream music from library streaming services. They may take out music and art biographies and may attend music and art programming at your library.
AFICIONADO
Ordering for aficionados requires knowledge about their habits when consuming the arts.These patrons are aware of the arts through museums, classical music, jazz and more… Oftentimes, these patrons attend music and art programming at your library. Aficionados are professionals in the arts world with thorough knowledge of visual and/or the performing arts.