Library to the Rescue

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Notes from the Lampert Library

Kalisch, yes we sangmazel tovRichards, Complete jewish songbookRubin, A T treasury of Jewish folk song

When you have a question, where do you go for the answer? Unfortunately, in these days of instant access to information, many people think that the internet has all the answers so they turn instantly to the Google search engine or to Wikipedia. Lots of us just ask a friend or someone we think knows something about the subject we’re interested in.

In truth, we often totally forget about the library and its librarians. Libraries and librarians rank pretty far down on the list these days although there are those of us who do turn to the library or a librarian for answers.

Let me give you an example of how efficient a library can be in helping to find an answer. Last week I was sitting at a Kiddush lunch table. Merrill Silver, our intrepid band organizer, needed the music for a couple of Purim songs. One person suggested asking the music teacher; another person suggested the internet; I, of course, suggested the library.

The next time I was in the library, I went right to the books that had songs (780s), pulled a book off the shelf, looked in the table of contents and in less than five minutes had the music for Merrill.

Curious, I tried Googling the specific songs and, while there were lots of results, finding the music in a printable form was not so easy. I could buy the music; I could listen to the music, but I couldn’t print the music in a form that Merrill could use for the band.

Lesson learned, maybe. Don’t forget the library. No question is too hard or too simple. Sometimes we librarians can’t find the answers immediately because we don’t have the resources but we who work in libraries can always go a level up to the next more sophisticated library

Here’s a specialized treasure for those interested in Jewish music: the Judaica Sound Archives at Florida Atlantic University. The Archives’ primary mission is “to collect, preserve, and digitize Judaica sound recordings; to create educational programs highlighting the contents of this rich cultural legacy; and to encourage the use of this unique scholarly resource by students, scholars and the general public.” The collection includes audio from 1900 to the present and over 30,000 scores and documents from the 17th century to the present. You can even listen to music. Lovers of Jewish music, old and new, will really appreciate this website. (http://faujsa.fau.edu/jsa/home.php)

Closer to home, here’s a list of books related to the topic. And were you aware that we have music CD?

Kalisch Yes, We Sang! Songs of the ghetto and concentration camp. Contains music, translation and transliteration for songs that came out of the Holocaust experience.

Pasternak Mazel Tov! You don’t have to walk down the aisle to the strains of “Here comes the bride.” This book by the eminent compiler is filled with Hebrew songs for weddings and other joyous occasions.

Richards Complete Jewish Songbook for Children. There are holiday songs, school songs, and play songs by songsters such as Debbie Friedman. Some have English lyrics.

Rubin A Treasury of Jewish Folksong. Yiddish, Hebrew, lullabies, Israeli songs…Rubin has collected them all.

 

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