The Performing Arts Library is a comprehensive research facility for music, housing books, periodicals, scores, and sound recordings. Subject areas of special strength are historical musicology and the history of music theory, with current emphasis on the development of performance materials. Areas of concentration in collection development include: monuments of music, sources, complete and collected works of composers, opera, instrumental music for study and performance, and monographic materials. Rare holdings include a notable collection of 18th century prints and manuscripts of works by Handel, located in the Special Collection and Archives section of the Alexander Library.

As of 2002, the music collection has:

• Scores: 35,000
• Monographs: 22,000
• Periodicals: 480 (244 current titles)
• Records: 15,230
• CDs: 7,000
• Videos: 320
• DVDs: 50
• Microforms: 2,700

Roger Tarman