This guide, a supplement to the ALA's Guide for Written Collection Policy Statements, is meant to assist librarians, both music specialists and generalists, who are responsible for writing collection development policies for music collections in academic, conservatory, and public libraries. It includes a checklist for writing a collection development policy, an outline of elements with examples from actual collections, and an example of a complete collection development policy.

This guide, a supplement to the ALA's Guide for Written Collection Policy Statements, is meant to assist librarians, both music specialists and generalists, who are responsible for writing collection development policies for music collections in academic, conservatory, and public libraries. It includes a checklist for writing a collection development policy, an outline of elements with examples from actual collections, and an example of a complete collection development policy.

Fourteen authors explore the recent past, the present, and the future of music librarianship through an examination of topics of importance to the profession: collection development, preservation, cataloging, technology, copyright, reference, reference sources, user education, music publishing, sound recordings, the antiquarian music market, archives, and education for music librarianship. First published in the quarterly journal Notes, these essays reflect the views of today's professionals at the fin de si cle. The set of essays is framed by a foreword and afterword by editor Richard Griscom.