After two years without a head librarian, a new face is finally filling the position at the Northwestern Music Library.

In his third week on the job, D.J. Hoek already is establishing goals for the library — including expanding its famous contemporary classical music collection.

“I’m still getting my foot in the door,” Hoek said. “It’s a big operation, and I am very excited to be there. I can think of no other music library to be the head of.”

For now Hoek is adjusting to the music library, which he finds much larger and more comprehensive than the Kent State University library in Ohio where he previously worked.

“Northwestern’s music library has the most distinguished collections in the country,” he said.

Hoek said his new job will allow him to continue his research on post-World War II music. The library’s biggest attractions are the contemporary classical and art collections and the 20th century music, he said.

Because it is hidden on the second floor of Deering Library, many students do not know about the 2,500 authentic manuscripts, 30,000 original records and 12,000 scores housed there, said Jeanette Casey, a public librarian at NU’s music library.

Outside the main area, students can find rooms with special collections featuring John Cage and Fritz Reiner, two famous 20th-century musicians. The John Cage collection has more than 28,000 pieces of his first-hand letters, publishing documents and sheet music, Casey said.

Carefully adjusted temperatures are needed to preserve the documents, so the special collection rooms are a bit chilly. The yellowed, brittle sheets range from 14th-century Italian chants to 18th-century classical music.

“We even have books on hip hop and the Beatles,” Casey said. “We have anything you can imagine. If you’re interested, we probably have it.”

Four years ago, the music library began cataloging its manuscripts on the main library search engine and WorldCat, an online library search engine, Casey said. The project, completed in August, has brought national attention to NU’s music library.

“I see people from New York and California who make the special trip to come here just to look at first-hand manuscripts at our library,” she said.

First-year music graduate student Jamey Buencamino spends almost every day at the music library researching guitar performance.

He said he usually finds himself in the music library’s computer lab, where Macintosh and PC computers feature music recording programs and keyboards to play and record music.

NU’s music library offers more resources than the other collegiate music libraries, he said. He drove to the music library from University of Wisconsin-Riverside when he was an undergraduate there.

“Whatever I needed, it would always be there,” he said. “If people can find the time to come down here, then they should.”

Reach Stephanie Chen at [email protected].

Body 2 ———————————————————————–

Director hopes to conduct renowned Music Library to new goals