Gorton Music & Dance Library to celebrate quarter century milestone
LAWRENCE — For 25 years, the Thomas A. Gorton Music & Dance Library has been a cornerstone of performing arts scholarship, providing a home for learning, creativity and connection in Murphy Hall. Faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters are invited to a series of events Feb. 12-18 to honor the library’s quarter century of partnership as a pivotal university resource.
“Having that space that is dedicated and having library staff who are dedicated and specialize in our needs is such an important and useful part of our school,” said Colin Roust, associate dean for academic affairs and professor of musicology in the School of Music.
Sara Outhier, performing arts and humanities librarian, said the library is a central and integrated partner in a variety of ways, including providing access to a wide range of resources — an undertaking that has evolved a great deal over time.
“Music and performing arts collections are a dynamic organism, comprised of specialized formats that have experienced great change in the last 25 years,” Outhier said.
Named for the dean of fine arts from 1950-75, the library was completed in 2000 as part of a $9.8 million addition to Murphy Hall. The new library was nearly three times the size of the previous music library and enabled new and enhanced services as well as technological upgrades.
Today, the library contains more than 100,000 scores, books, sound recordings, videos, microforms and serials, making it one of the leading music collections in the Great Plains region, while providing performing arts students with the resources and space needed to support their learning, discovery and growth.
Outhier’s work with KU Libraries, alongside Music Library Operations Manager Chris Bohling, connects students and faculty with foundational learning and research materials. The library also provides an essential place for individual and group study or gatherings for academic and social pursuits. The interdisciplinary value of the collections is also important.
“Music and the performing arts are relevant to almost every academic discipline taught at KU,” Outhier said.
The library works to continuously span the gap between old and new, providing access to legacy media formats and analog equipment such as record and CD players as well as meeting the increasing demand for digital formats. For example, as performers and scholars have begun to rely on digital scores, librarians work with music publishers to provide access while also meeting the continuing demand for scores in print.
The 25-year milestone has been a chance for KU Libraries and School of Music partners to appreciate the value of their partnership and highlight the importance of the library to the university community.
“I’m a musicologist, a music historian, and I cannot do my work without those outstanding folks who work in the library,” Roust said. “Students can’t afford to buy every single score they have to learn, and they’re able to borrow a lot of them from the library, making college much more affordable. It’s such an important resource.”
Gorton Music & Dance Library 25th Anniversary Celebration
Feb. 12 | 4-6 p.m. | Gorton Library, Murphy Hall
Join alumni, faculty, staff and supporters to celebrate Gorton Library’s silver anniversary. Enjoy music from the Cornerstone String Quartet student ensemble, refreshments and remarks on the library’s noteworthy past and bright future.
Gorton Anniversary Brown Bag Concerts
Feb. 13, 16 & 17 | Noon-12:30 p.m. | Gorton Library, Murphy Hall
Bring your lunch and enjoy complimentary treats while enjoying live music performed by students, faculty and staff.
Gorton Anniversary Student Party
Feb. 18 | 2-4 p.m. | Gorton Library, Murphy Hall
Students are invited to drop in to the library for pizza, music and crafts.