The Furman University Libraries hosted the Southeast Chapter of the Music Library Association (SEMLA) for their annual meeting October 25-26, 2024. Prior to the meeting, the Libraries also hosted “Music in Libraries: Just the Basics,” an annual preconference one-day workshop on October 24th.
The conference kicked off with a well-attended opening reception held in the Pitts Room, with the Special Collections and Archives current exhibit, “Medieval Manuscripts: Treasures from Furman’s Collections,” available for viewing.
Conference sessions on Friday and Saturday were held in Daniel Recital Hall in the Daniel Music Building, with a Zoom room for virtual attendees and presenters. Sessions ranged from practical advice for hiring managers and job-seekers, the evolution of the music bibliography course, digitization of rare music materials, and collaborative projects with students workers (to name just a few!).
In addition to an excellent lineup of presentations, SEMLA attendees had opportunities on Friday to visit two Furman gems: the Furman bell tower and the Furman Special Collections and Archives. Guided by Michael Vick, Instructional Technologist for the Fine Arts, the music librarians were eager to see the 60-bell carillon of the bell tower, as well as the spectacular views of the Furman campus that it offers. Later in the afternoon, Associate Director for Special Collections and University Archivist Jeffrey Makala welcomed the conference to Special Collections, highlighting a varied selection of music items ranging from manuscripts in neumatic notation to zines to microtonal music scores. After the conclusion of Friday’s sessions, the James B. Duke Library hosted the SEMLA Banquet in the library atrium.
While many members of the Furman community helped make this conference a success, we wish to thank Madeline Eastergard and Michael Vick for their assistance.