![The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts [LPA] has some of the world¡¯s most extensive collections of primary sources, performance documentation, and ephemera (other fun stuff, from costumes to annotated scripts). (Mlle. Bigotini r?le de la folie) dans le balet du Carnaval de Venise.. NYPL Digital Collections, Cia Fornaroli Collection.) More than an archive, the LPA also functions as an integral part of the NYC arts community, a living resource and repository for working artists and scholars.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/krsbarnardpresentation04122011-110515071956-phpapp01/85/A-Student-Guide-to-the-NYPL-Jerome-Robbins-Dance-Division-4-320.jpg)
![Beyond the Collections People: For insights that go beyond the physical collections, the library staff is your best resource? For general queries, contact [email_address] . ? Other important names to know: Jan Schmidt, Curator, Jerome Robbins Dance Division [email_address] Tanisha Jones Coordinator, Jerome Robbins Archive of the Recorded Moving Image Helpful Resources: For an excellent guide to dance research and collections, check out the Dance Heritage Coalition website , especially the section entitled ¡°Choreographing Your Search.¡±](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/krsbarnardpresentation04122011-110515071956-phpapp01/85/A-Student-Guide-to-the-NYPL-Jerome-Robbins-Dance-Division-22-320.jpg)
More Related Content
Viewers also liked (9)
Similar to A Student Guide to the NYPL Jerome Robbins Dance Division (20)
Recently uploaded (12)
A Student Guide to the NYPL Jerome Robbins Dance Division
- 1. A presentation by Katya Schapiro For Barnard College Library Resource Overview NYPL LPA -- Jerome Robbins Dance Division
- 2. New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Barnard students have unique opportunities to access world-class research collections both large and small. Columbia University itself houses many important special collections, but for practitioners and scholars of the performing arts, several essential resources are located off campus. For theater, dance, and music, one of the most important and exciting of these is the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
- 3. (photo by wallyg¡ªretrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/578688744/ ) Going outside the CU library system can feel daunting (after all, you just went to all that trouble to learn how to conduct research here), but for performing arts research, it¡¯s imperative.
- 4. The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts [LPA] has some of the world¡¯s most extensive collections of primary sources, performance documentation, and ephemera (other fun stuff, from costumes to annotated scripts). (Mlle. Bigotini r?le de la folie) dans le balet du Carnaval de Venise.. NYPL Digital Collections, Cia Fornaroli Collection.) More than an archive, the LPA also functions as an integral part of the NYC arts community, a living resource and repository for working artists and scholars.
- 5. Sample Research Topic: Dance on Film: The History of a Practice The Jerome Robbins Dance Division of the LPA: Extensive collection of Dance on Film, on various media, from the beginning of the form Active Collaborator in the execution, improvement, and increase of dance performance documentation. Both a repository of the history of dance, and a part of that history.
- 6. The Basics
- 7. Where is it? The NYPL Library for the Performing Arts 40 Lincoln Center Plaza Enter the library through the Lincoln Center complex, between the opera house and the Vivian Beaumont Theater, or from the street on 10 th Avenue between 64 th and 65 th Streets. The LPA can be found on the web at: http://www.nypl.org/locations/lpa . The Jerome Robbins Dance Division: third floor of the building http://www.nypl.org/locations/lpa/jerome-robbins-dance-division .
- 8. What is it? In their own words, ¡° The Jerome Robbins Dance Division of The New York Public Library is the largest and most comprehensive archive in the world devoted to the documentation of dance¡It is part museum, part film production center, and part consulting service to the professional dance community. It preserves the history of dance by gathering diverse written, visual, and aural resources, and it works to ensure the art form's continuity through an active documentation program.¡± ¡° Founded in 1944 as a separate division of The New York Public Library, the Dance Division is used regularly by choreographers, dancers, critics, historians, journalists, publicists, filmmakers, graphic artists, students, and the general public.¡± 1
- 9. Again in the library¡¯s own words, the collection contains: more than 42,000 reference books about dance Films and Videotapes: Material ranges from the earliest Edison reels to the latest television broadcasts; from ethnic dances to ballets by Balanchine; from Broadway musicals to dance therapy and notation. Audiotapes: Clipping and Program Files Iconography Manuscripts and Memorabilia Other resources available include some digitized collections¡ªprimarily photos¡ªlocated in the NYPL digital gallery , a selection of useful databases and a curated list of links .
- 10. How to Begin¡
- 11. 1.Get a library card . In order to use the NYPL research collections, you will need an NYPL library card. You can apply for in person or online here . Please note the ID requirements. Additional applications may be required for certain collections. 2. Explore the catalog . Items in the archival collection can be found in two main ways: The NYPL catalog . Archival materials search --find finding aids and specific collections by name. 3 . Dive right in . Try it out for yourself. The process will seem little awkward and scary until you familiarize yourself with the collections, the procedures, and the staff. No better time to get started.
- 12. What Next? Let¡¯s get more specific: For example, suppose you decide that you would like to see a videorecording of the Alvin Ailey company¡¯s The Prodigal Prince.
- 13. Step one: Catalog Search
- 14. The search, using title keywords PRODIGAL and PRINCE, and author keyword AILEY, with the search limited to the Performing Arts collection, found two results. ?
- 15. Step 2: Selecting the proper record. The catalog search shows two records, one recorded in 1970 and one from 1999. To best pursue your topic, you will likely wish to view both, but in this case, we¡¯ll select the earlier. The material is available in two media formats, film reel and videocassette. The one you will watch is likely the videocassette.
- 16. Step 3: Go to the library. What are you waiting for? Go on over already. Be prepared to check coats and bags at the entrance to the 3 rd floor. You may retain your laptop, notebook, pencils, and other relevant materials. ?
- 17. Step 4: Start making friends. Head straight to the dance reference desk and ask them to talk you through the process of viewing archival video. These reference librarians will be your greatest resource in pursuing your research, and the sooner you begin to develop a relationship with them, the better.
- 18. Step 5: Submit a call slip The dance reference librarians will show you how to fill out a call slip for your materials, which will contain the item name and call number, and your information. You may also need a stamp from the relevant librarian granting you permission to use the resources. If your materials are directly available, you will be shown to a viewing station and can begin viewing immediately (assisted by a technician in another part of the building). If they must be brought up from the storage area, you will submit your call slip to the page desk, and they will notify you when your materials are ready for viewing.
- 19. Step 6: View your material. Don¡¯t forget to take notes! Remember, some materials may require special handling.
- 20. (The New York Public Library Jerome Robbins Dance Division Archive. Photo from http://www.dancedocumentation.com/Logistical_Issues.html) Once you¡¯re comfortable with the structure, layout, staff, and scope of the Performing Arts Library and its Jerome Robbins Dance Division, you¡¯ll be ready to really get going on your research.
- 21. But wait¡ªthere¡¯s more! The work of the Dance Division goes beyond collecting and providing access to archival material. They are also instrumental in the creation and standardization of much of this material. ¡° Since 1965, the division has selected, produced, and recorded more than 1,000 dance works on film and videotape and taped hundreds of hours of oral history interviews. These recording projects ensure that today's masterworks will be tomorrow's legacy, available to future generations for study and restaging.¡± 2 This mission gave rise to The Collaborative Editing Project to Document Dance. The report of the project, which contains detailed accounts of six recording projects, can be found here , and is a must-read for anyone interested in the history and continuation of dance documentation on film.
- 22. Beyond the Collections People: For insights that go beyond the physical collections, the library staff is your best resource? For general queries, contact [email_address] . ? Other important names to know: Jan Schmidt, Curator, Jerome Robbins Dance Division [email_address] Tanisha Jones Coordinator, Jerome Robbins Archive of the Recorded Moving Image Helpful Resources: For an excellent guide to dance research and collections, check out the Dance Heritage Coalition website , especially the section entitled ¡°Choreographing Your Search.¡±
- 23. A Few More Tips Clarify your needs. Walking into a major research library without a few clear research goals is a sure way to feel overwhelmed. Instead, pick out a resource that you¡¯d like to examine, or a video from the archives that you¡¯d like to view, and use that first research item to familiarize yourself with the process of requesting and using archival materials. Make friends. Ask for help, introduce yourself and your project¡ªget to know the staff and the curators. Don¡¯t let the quiet and the formality scare you away from using the human resources at your disposal¡ªmost curators are experts in their subjects and delighted to offer advice. Give yourself plenty of time. Working with archival materials can be a slow business, and it can take time to negotiate permissions to view and reproduce certain collections. Get in there early, get comfortable with the research environment and with your project needs. Keep good citation records¡ªyou don¡¯t want to have to go back through seventeen archival boxes because you forgot just where you saw that great letter you wanted to quote, or who the original photographer was on an image you reproduced. Keeping your own notes and citations organized will save you a world of trouble, and make creating your final bibliography a breeze. For tips on organizing citations and research notes, ask a Barnard librarian¡ªwe know lots of great programs and systems¡ªthat¡¯s what we do!
- 24. Questions?
- 25. Good luck! Enjoy your research. ( Marion Morgan Dancers in Helen of Troy. NYPL digital collections .)
- 26. Created by Katya Schapiro on April 12, 2011. Notes: 1. Excerpted from Jerome Robbins dance division | New York Public Library. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.nypl.org/locations/lpa/jerome-robbins-dance-division on April 12, 2011. 2 . Special features: supporting the vitality of dance| New York Public Library. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.nypl.org/locations/tid/55/node/35208#documenting on April 12, 2011.
Editor's Notes
- #6: As an example, let¡¯s discuss the ways that a student researching this recent thesis topic might approach the topic using the resources of the NYPL Dance Division. Dance Division is an ideal resource for this student because, in addition to housing an extensive collection of Dance on Film, they themselves are having an impact on the history and practice of Dance on Film, actively collaborating with choreographers and editors to improve and increase the video documentation of dance performance.
- #8: in the Lincoln Center complex that also houses the NYC Ballet, the Juilliard School, the Metropolitan Opera House, and more.
- #14: For researching historical time periods, note that you can also limit search by years or year ranges.
- #15: One result from 1999, one from 1970. note that the first result is on two discs, with the same call #, and the second result is on both VHS and film reel.
- #16: The catalog search shows two records, one recorded in 1970 and one from 1999. To best pursue your topic, you will likely wish to view both, but in this case, we¡¯ll select the earlier. The material is available in two media formats, film reel and videocassette. The one you will watch is likely the videocassette.
- #22: which, ¡°funded by a grant from the National Initiative to Preserve America¡¯s Dance (NIPAD), explores how collaborations between choreographers and editors can extend the dance community¡¯s ability to produce high-quality records of dance .¡±