This reply came to MLA-L, and might answer a few questions.

Best,
Thom Pease

*************************
Dear all,

May I add that this item is not at all about a record library but about what
is happening with the Netherlands Radio Music Library.
What is happening to the library (because the budget of the Music Center is
cut drastically) is  a tragedy, but the information as presented on
artsjournal.com is incorrect.
What the pictures  show is that today  we moved collected editions and many
other series from the central hall of the Music Building to other parts of
the building, but everything is kept intact.
The library services come to an end this month, all staff members are fired
by August 1, but the collections remain in the present building, for the
time being, waiting for a future elsewhere. We expect to move parts of the
collection to The Hague in the future, to be housed together with
collections of other institutions like the Netherlands Music Institute and
the Library of the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Other parts will be used as before by the Radio Orchestra, Radio Choir and
Metropole Orchestra.
Last week we were informed that the Ministry responsible for Media is
offering a (very small) budget for the months August-December 2013. With
this budget it  will be possible to explore further the possibilities to
create in The Hague a National Music Library, including valuable and unique
collections from Hilversum.

Martie Severt, manager Netherlands Radio Music Library (well that is till
1.8)


On Tue, Jul 9, 2013 at 4:05 PM, Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> Two thoughts.
>
> 1. I'd take a Lebrecht pronouncement with a grain of salt. "Throwing out
> unique treasures" is different from getting out of run of the mill LPs to
> free up space for non-niche/non-dead media.
>
> 2. Any common-sense approach to moving away from an antiquated media
> involves selling the artifacts to the general public. So, if there are any
> rare or unique records that are indeed being discarded, they will end up in
> the hands of collectors, unless common sense doesn't prevail. Given this is
> a public institution in a European country, it is possible that common
> sense will not prevail. I maintain optimism, given the Dutch reputation for
> practicality.
>
> -- Tom Fine
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "James Roth" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2013 3:46 PM
>
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Europe's largest record library is shutting down
>
>
>  Oh! This is very stressful!!!
>> OUCH!
>>
>> Ben
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List [mailto:
>> [log in to unmask]**GOV <[log in to unmask]>] On Behalf Of
>> John Haley
>> Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2013 3:14 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Europe's largest record library is shutting down
>>
>> Wow, is that sad.  I wondering where it is all going?
>>
>> Best,
>> John Haley
>>
>> On Tue, Jul 9, 2013 at 2:14 PM, [log in to unmask] <
>> [log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>  Mr. Lebrecht reports here -
>>>
>>> http://www.artsjournal.com/****slippeddisc/2013/07/europes-**<http://www.artsjournal.com/**slippeddisc/2013/07/europes-**>
>>> largest-record-library-is-****shutting-down.html<http://www.**
>>> artsjournal <http://www.artsjournal>.
>>> com/slippeddisc/2013/07/**europes-largest-record-**
>>> library-is-shutting-dow
>>> n.html>
>>>
>>> Joe Salerno
>>>
>>>
>>
>>