Governing Documents: Terms of Reference for IAML Sections, Groups, Committees and Subcommittees

Sections

Each Institutional and Subject Section shall organise at least one open session in every congress, which any member of the Association has the right to attend. Planning such a session is an important remit of each Section. The Sections may also hold discussion/working meetings at the congresses and engage in other activities, both operational and strategic. The Chair of each Section is a member of the Forum of Sections, which assembles at IAML’s annual congresses. The Sections may propose the formation of Study Groups and Project Groups. Each Section shall publish an annual report describing its activities and plans including the work of any subordinate Groups. Each Section is required to keep the information on its own webpage on the IAML website up-to-date, giving the Terms of Reference, listing current officers, and describing its current activities and initiatives. Each Section should also use its designated area of the website to facilitate open online communication and to conduct business between congresses. The officers of each Section are: Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary.

Institutional Sections

Archives and Music Documentation Centres
The Archives and Music Documentation Centres Section addresses topics related to the diverse music-related materials held by the archives of all types of institution as well as music documentation centres and private collections. It seeks to explore new ways to effectively preserve their holdings and increase awareness of them. To this end it aims to document and draw attention to little-known collections, and to improve access to all such holding institutions.

Libraries in Music Teaching Institutions
The Libraries in Music Teaching Institutions Section focuses on topics of special interest to librarians working in educational establishments that teach music, providing an international platform to communicate, exchange knowledge and discuss all aspects of music libraries embedded in music teaching institutions. Working in collaboration with other IAML Sections, Groups and Committees where areas of interest intersect, principal areas of discussion include, but are not limited to, improving information literacy in students and staff, supporting and facilitating research, and promoting awareness of library collections.

Broadcasting and Orchestra Libraries
The Broadcasting and Orchestra Libraries Section exists to support the work of members who work in the libraries of broadcasting institutions and performing ensembles, and all librarians who deal with performance materials. Subjects within the Section’s remit relate to the day-to-day work of managing collections of performance materials, such as copyright, rental/hire of music, music publishing and new technologies. Whilst attending a congress the Section may take the opportunity to arrange a visit to a local broadcasting, orchestral or opera library.

Public Libraries
The Public Libraries Section focuses on the interests of people working with music materials in public libraries; examines the trends, developments and concerns facing public music libraries and librarians; and fosters communication between public music librarians around the world. It meets these goals through such activities as presentations, discussion and information exchange at congresses and other conferences, library visits, electronic communication, and projects shared through the section web page.

Research Libraries
The Research Libraries Section addresses topics related to the diverse kinds of research undertaken in music libraries by librarians, academics, and independent researchers. It promotes the research of librarians into the history and holdings of their own institutions, serves as a forum of discussion about how libraries can best facilitate the research of their users, and seeks to enquire into new ways in which music libraries can cooperate with universities and other research institutions in the exploration of their collections.

Subject Sections

Bibliography
The Bibliography Section is concerned with the description and interpretation of musical sources of all periods, including printed music, music manuscripts and performance ephemera. Its main purpose is to promote the dissemination of bibliographical research in music and to debate methodological issues relating to the description of musical sources. It also provides a forum in which scholars and librarians can formulate proposals for bibliographical projects and initiatives both within IAML and more widely. Bibliographical research in music helps to support the work of libraries in cataloguing and documenting their holdings, but it is also a...