Using the Music Library
Welcome! This guide is a curated list of resources related to music for on-campus and remote users. Bookmark this page for easy reference, and access all of Harvard Library’s online collections using your HarvardKey.
Would you like personalized help? Contact a music librarian by emailing us or scheduling a research consultation. We're happy to meet virtually, or to set up an appointment to meet in person with current Harvard students, faculty, and staff.
- Email or schedule an appointment with Brendan Higgins, Music Library Research Services
- Email or schedule an appointment with Kerry Masteller, Music Library Research Services
Start Your Research
No matter what your research topic is, here are five good places to start:
- HOLLISHarvard's main library catalogue: find books, articles, scores, recordings, and more in one search. Sign in with your Harvard Key to get more results.
- Oxford Music OnlineContains Grove Music Online: includes encyclopedia articles on musical genres, topics, and people.
- Online Scores: Classical Scores LibraryFull, study, piano, and vocal scores of music from the Middle Ages to the 21st century, available for use online or printed/saved to PDF.
- Online Audio: Naxos Music LibraryClassical, world, jazz, and folk recordings, with biographical information, opera synopses and libretti, glossaries and pronunciation guides.
- Journal Articles: RILM Abstracts of Music LiteratureAn international bibliography of music articles, collections, and books covering 10,000+ journals from the 1800s to the present. Especially good for finding book chapters and conference proceedings in addition to journal articles.
Timesavers
- Harvard Library BookmarkNeed access to an online article? Use this bookmarklet to get quick access to subscriptions purchased by Harvard Library.
- Lean LibraryThis browser extension provides quick and simple access to digital content purchased by Harvard Library.
- ZoteroOrganize your research, keep track of your references, and add citations and bibliographies to your papers.
