Dr. David Ledgerwood will no longer be required to solve The Case of the Missing Sonata.
The thousands of pieces of music belonging to the Fine Arts Department have found a new home. A former faculty office near Fine Arts Hall on Old Main’s third floor has been remodeled into a new Fine Arts office and library, complete with both custom-made shelves and a custom-made archiving and cataloging system.
“Our department has $40,000 or more worth of music, and we have been trying to become better stewards of it,” said Ledgerwood, Chair of the department.
The music was previously stored in several different areas of Old Main. When students borrowed a piece of music, they would sometimes return it to a different area … or forget to return it at all.
“It was stored in insecure areas in a substandard part of the building,” Ledgerwood said. “Now it’s in a secured area with a cataloging system that allows us to make sure music doesn’t walk away.”
The room’s primary tenant is Fine Arts administrative assistant Sherry Trainer, who previously operated out of a cramped room in a faraway corner of the building. Her new digs include a newer and more functional desk, an all-purpose printer, a long counter designed for comfortably sorting music—and elbow room.
The oak shelves that divide the room in half lengthwise were custom-designed by stage manager James Wright and carpenter Chuck Cole. The adjustable height of the shelves allows them to accommodate different sizes of music.
The new cataloging system was devised by Ledgerwood’s wife, Kim, and Richard Goldade of the college’s Information Technology office. A similar system is also being used to inventory musical instruments.
The new office opened in early September. By Sept. 15, Kim Ledgerwood said, 946 titles had been entered into the system. That included only choral music through the letter I and no band or instrumental pieces.
The Fine Arts Club raised $2,300 to contribute to the renovation.
“It is much quieter and much roomier,” Ledgerwood said. “It is a much nicer place for visiting with students and going about the business of our department. It’s already been a great blessing.”
--Posted by Andrew Call, 9-15-09