Auckland Council Libraries: Music collecting plan
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Music collecting plan

This plan outlines the specific strengths and current collecting priorities for the heritage Music collection held by Auckland Council Libraries.

The Music collection aims to document, preserve, and share the creative output of Auckland’s musical community over time. By collecting a range of music in a variety of formats, we aim to reflect the cultural, social, and historical richness of the region and the development of music in New Zealand in general.

We strive to engage with researchers, musicians, teachers and students to provide access to resources that contribute to a deep understanding of our musical and cultural past and present. 


About the collection

History and formation

From the founding of Auckland Public Library with Sir George Grey’s donation, music has been a core part of its collections and service to the community. A donation from Lewis Eady in 1928 led to the establishment of the sheet music lending collection and the Lewis Eady Music Room. Other donations by people and organisations within the Auckland music community followed. Much of this material has been transferred into the Heritage Collections due to its historical significance and the story it tells about music in Auckland.

Subject coverage

It focuses on the development of western music over time, from 15th century missals to 18th century printed music and contemporary New Zealand music of all genres.

Geographic coverage

The collection includes music material published overseas but is primarily focused on music created and published in New Zealand, as well as associated music materials that form part of the documentary record of Auckland and New Zealand.

Formats and extent

Music overlaps with other heritage collection formats including ephemera, oral history and sound, photographs, archives and manuscripts, rare books, and New Zealand printed material. The collection includes:

  • Published sheet music, including choral sets and orchestral sets
  • New Zealand sheet music
  • Unpublished music manuscripts (for example Williams family music albums)
  • Personal and organisational papers
  • Sound recordings in all formats (cassettes, LP records, CDs)
  • Printed books, both New Zealand and overseas published


Strengths of the collection

  • The New Zealand sheet music collection includes music composed by early European migrants. While not totally comprehensive, it is one of the three most important collections in New Zealand alongside Alexander Turnbull’s New Zealand Music Archive and the Hocken Collections.
  • The collection holds several items of national and international significance. These include Purcell’s Harpsichord Master (1693), Rameau’s “treatise of musick” (1752), Thomas Bracken’s manuscript of the New Zealand National Anthem (inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World register), as well as medieval books such as the Besançon Missal and several antiphonals.
  • New Zealand Music Scrapbooks from 1960 – 1997.
  • Auckland specific material such as the Music in Auckland scrapbooks 1890 – 1930.
  • Organisational records of music groups such as the Institute of Registered Music Teachers NZ (IRMTNZ), St Matthews Chamber Orchestra and the Auckland Choral Society.
  • Formed collections donated by composers and other individuals.


Current collecting priorities

Proactive priorities

Acquisitions in these areas seek to fill gaps and/or provide balance to the collection:

  • Music of migrant individuals and groups resident in Auckland, e.g. music of early Chinese and Dalmatian communities.
  • LP records released between 1997 and 2018 where we have a gap.
  • Māori and Pacific material relating to music is collected in collaboration with the curators in these areas.

Ongoing priorities

Acquisitions in these areas build on our existing collection strengths:

  • Contemporary New Zealand sheet music with a focus on Auckland and major New Zealand composers, covering all genres.
  • New Zealand sound recordings including LPs (Auckland only and not released on CD) and CDs (Auckland focused).
  • Personal papers of Auckland music organisations, scholars, critics and writers.
  • Early New Zealand printed music.
  • Books about New Zealand music and music in New Zealand, with priority Auckland focus.


Selectively collected items

Collecting of contemporary New Zealand sheet music will be selective. Priority will be given to sheet music of all genres created by Auckland composers.

Stop collecting

We will no longer collect:

  • Facsimile editions.
  • Duplicates unless it is a different edition of the same work, is of significant provenance, or exists within a larger archival or manuscript collection.


Exclusions

Subject exclusions

  • Generally, music material from outside New Zealand will not be acquired unless it is considered to be of significant value and illustrates the artistic relationships and cultural contexts that inform the development of music and musical life in New Zealand. Examples of significant value include first editions or fine examples of early music publishing, or works that adds important context to existing holdings.
  • The collection includes a number of closed collections to which no new material will be added. These include the following collections from individual donors: John F. Bennett; Harold Baxter; Lewis Eady; Rose Grainger; Alice Law; Dr. Hersch; Ronald Dellow; Philip Prescot.

Format exclusions

  • Sound recording formats which we do not have the facilities to play will generally not be collected unless of Auckland or New Zealand significance. Examples of these include wax cylinders and 78 RPM records.
  • Vulnerable formats such as cassette tapes and reel-to-reel will generally not be collected unless of Auckland significance and the resources to digitise for preservation are available.
  • Orchestral Sets and choral sets are not collected unless they are of Auckland significance.
  • We are not currently collecting digital scores.


Want to discuss a research query or donation?

Specialist staff are available to assist you with research questions or potential donation of materials. 

Learn more about our research services or find out how to donate to the heritage collections.