About the Library

About Emma Ray Riggs McKay

Emma Ray Riggs graduated from the University of Utah in 1898, receiving one of six degrees awarded that year. She was among the first to study music at the University, which organized the Department of Music in 1888. A talented pianist with a fine contralto voice, she ensured that all her and her husband’s, David O. McKay, children learned to play the piano, and many performed second instruments. Following in their parents’ footsteps all seven children, and their spouses, graduated from the University of Utah.

When David O. McKay became President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Ray traveled the world with him, speaking to thousands of people in many countries. She especially inspired young people. She died in 1970 at age 93, ten months after the death of her husband. Her legacy includes 22 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. Full bio.

Library Policies

Collection Development

Introduction:

The McKay Music Library is named for Emma Ray Riggs McKay (1877-1970), a music student and graduate of the University of Utah. McKay Music Library was founded in 2000 and is situated in Gardner Hall. It shares the music collection and the catalog with the Marriott Library. In combination, the McKay and Marriott ably fulfill the needs of the School of Music and serve music research and performance across the University with ties to the greater Salt Lake community. The McKay Music Library primarily serves and supports the learning, teaching, and research needs of the faculty and students of the School of Music.

University of Utah School of Music:

The school educates undergraduate (2020-21 academic year: 271) and graduate (2020-21 academic year: 87) students through programs in composition, conducting, jazz, music education, music theory, musicology, and performance. The full program of study offered is here.

Scope of collection and collection development guidelines:

Materials for research collected by the McKay Library are primarily English-language monographs, edited volumes, handbooks, and festschriften that support the teaching and learning of music students from the undergraduate level through to the doctorate. Collected works are received on standing order. Scores purchased are in English as well as the world languages of art song, for example. Performance scores reflect the music studied in the school (primarily the Baroque through to the present). Physical materials in both the McKay and Marriott Libraries are leveraged with comprehensive subscriptions to the primary music databases (RILM, RIPM, Music Database, Music Index, Oxford Music Online, Naxos, Medici.TV, Met Opera on Demand), as well as historical and newspaper databases for contextual work. A robust ILL and document delivery service through the Marriott Library round out the collection offerings.

Selection criteria:

1. Highest priority: materials (books, scores, media) requested by students and faculty that are related to their learning, performing, teaching, and research needs.
2. High priority: scholarly and creative publications of School of Music faculty.
3. High Priority: Materials (books, scores, media) that provide comprehensive coverage of subject areas that augment the curriculum offerings to encourage broadening of the western musical canon through performance and study.
4. Priority: Materials (books, scores, media) related to Utah music history that have not been collected by the Marriott Library Special Collections.

 

Created:   1/2015
Updated: 1/2022

---

 

General Policies and Procedures

The McKay Library exists primarily to promote learning and teaching in the School of Music, College of Fine Arts.

Safety:

• McKay Library prohibits any behaviors that disrupt patrons or damage library collections and spaces.
• To protect our patrons and staff, please report any threatening behavior to our circulation staff and staff will notify the proper authorities.

Personal Belongings:

• Be aware of your belongings while you work in the library. Unattended belongings could be stolen.
• If you believe you have lost a personal item in the library, notify circulation staff and they will check the library lost and found. A lost and found is also maintained in the School of Music office, Room 204, Gardner Hall.

Collections:

• The physical collections of the McKay Music Library consist primarily of monographs, anthologies, scores, and CDs. The music library shares a catalog with the Marriott Library; therefore, all digital materials available through the Marriott Library are also available to users of the McKay Library.

• Scores that are borrowed from the collections and marked for the purposes of rehearsal or performance should be erased before return to the library.
  • If you are not able to erase your markings, please tell the circulation staff and we will erase markings before reshelving.

• Any loaned tech equipment inside or outside of the School of Music needs to be used carefully and according to any use instructions you receive when you check-out the equipment.
  • If you notice that the equipment is working improperly, contact us so we can evaluate the item upon return.

• The Maurice Abravanel Studio is a special collection space that includes Maestro Abravanel’s marked scores. These scores do not circulate. Scores are to be used in the studio under the supervision of the music librarian or music library staff. Requests to view the scores can be made by appointment by contacting mckaylibrary@music.utah.edu.

Food and Drink:

• Covered drinks and food are allowed in the main reading area. All food and drink are prohibited in the public lab space, the Sorenson Legacy Foundation Music Technology Studio, and the Maurice Abravanel Studio.

We recognize that accidents happen. If you spill your beverage, tell the circulation desk assistant immediately for assistance with cleanup.

Labs:

The McKay Library contains two lab spaces that are maintained by the College of Fine Arts IT staff: the public lab is for use by patrons during all of the hours that the library is open. The Sorenson Legacy Foundation Music Technology Studio is a large lab classroom for use by the School of Music’s Music Technology and Electroacoustic Composition classes as well as ad hoc teaching sessions by School of Music faculty. When the SLF Music Technology Studio is not being used by a class, it is free for general patron use during the hours that the library is open.

Both labs are maintained by the College of Fine Arts IT office and are student computing facilities. Please refer to the University of Utah's Information Resources Policy: 4-002 for appropriate use of information resources on campus.

Created: 8/2021
Updated: 3/2022

---

Instruction Plan

The McKay Library’s goal for library instruction is to teach music students how to use the library’s physical and digital music resources with confidence. Our aim is two-fold: to support the academic and performance curriculum of the School of Music; and, to teach students to think critically about the information they use as they move on professionally and in life to become lifelong learners. Instruction occurs within the library serendipitously, through 1:1 and group targeted sessions, as well as outside of the library through classroom presentations in individual courses. The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education is integrated into library teaching as much as possible.

McKay Library Workshops are open to all students, faculty, and staff and have included  the following topics in the 2021-2022 academic year:

• Searching USearch for music materials as well as other interdisciplinary materials that can augment music research and study.
• Using online resources to discover diverse solo repertoire

McKay Library Writing Assistance

• Students can make appointments with Lisa Chaufty, the music librarian, to seek in-person or virtual assistance with short-term or long-term writing assignments. Working with an instructor that is knowledgeable about music and writing is very beneficial. To make an appointment, contact Professor Chaufty.

McKay Library Tutoring

• Musicianship and music theory tutoring is offered in-person and virtually throughout the semester. The schedule for each semester is posted during the first week. You can also contact Dr. Haruhito Miyagi to make an appointment.