Servants, Scholars, and Sleuths: Early Leaders in California Music Librarianship

Abstract

Some librarians, in the course of their daily endeavors, quietly accomplish remarkable things. Among California's early leaders in music librarianship, six stand out in particular: Jessica Fredricks, Gladys Caldwell, George Schneider, Joan Meggett, Edward Colby, and Vincent Duckles. They were the first to systematically build large music collections in California, and most of them served as early organizational leaders within the Music Library Association. These pioneers were thinkers and visionaries, full of survival savvy. Graced with flexible dispositions, they moved with ease among diverse clienteles and dealt ably with temperamental artists. Their work demonstrated a fervent attitude toward service, a commitment to the cause of music education and scholarship, and a wonderful combination of curiosity and tenacity, useful in answering even the most enigmatic reference question or in tracking down an elusive musical source. Although there were others who provided valuable support for the growth of music librarianship in the state, these six librarians played strategic roles as collection builders and professional leaders.