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Music & Media
A music library was first introduced to the Tulane campus in 1909 with the establishment of the Tulane Department of Music. It became part of the main Howard–Tilton Memorial Library in 1981 and the library's music collections have evolved into one of the premier music research collections in the Southeast. Its primary function has been to support the curriculum of Tulane’s programs in music literature, musicology, music theory, composition, and performance, but it has also served musicians and researchers from all Tulane departments and from the adjacent Loyola University, the University of New Orleans, other universities and music schools in the City of New Orleans, in addition to visiting researchers.
The music collection suffered widespread damage from Hurricane Katrina and the music library’s basement–level home was no longer suitable. A temporary space for Music & Media has since been built on the 4th floor of the Howard–Tilton Memorial Library. It houses listening stations, recorded materials such as music CDs and films in DVD or VHS, as well as some selected non–circulating printed materials including music reference books and complete works. The remainder of the library’s printed music books and scores are housed in the general stacks on the 3rd floor. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, more than 70 percent of the library’s music books and scores were salvaged from its flooded basement and restored. These were then processed through the library’s Recovery Center and returned to the shelves. Through restoration, donations, and replacement purchases the library is carefully building new and stronger music and media collections.
Students and faculty will find a wealth of online journals and databases for music accessible via the library web site. See the Music & Media Research Guide for lists and descriptions. Tulane students and faculty have reciprocal borrowing privileges at the Monroe Library at Loyola University of New Orleans, whose campus is adjacent to the Tulane Uptown campus. Loyola has maintained a substantial music collection.
Tulane is also home to the William Ranson Hogan Jazz Archive, a resource known throughout the world for jazz research that focuses on New Orleans. This important collection includes oral histories, recordings, books, periodicals, photographs, films, sheet music, orchestrations, manuscripts, and news clippings. It is part of the library’s Special Collections division and is housed on the 3rd Floor of Jones Hall, directly across from the Howard–Tilton building.
