Librarians: In their own words

It’s easy to blame the librarian when things go wrong, because our job is the last to be done in the chain between the organization’s administration and the orchestra sitting down to play. That moment is the deadline, and we are right in front of it, no matter what happens in the months leading up to it. All seating and stage set issues (should) have been determined, rehearsal orders implemented (unless changed at the last minute), repertoire decisions made (unless changed at the last minute), cuts and other articulations conveyed to the librarian (well in advance so they can be marked), and parts prepared and available to be looked at by the players weeks before, so any potential problems that might need attention can be handled prior to rehearsal. But if any of those things don’t happen when they are supposed to, our main role of “getting the right music in the right place at the right time” can be impeded.

Even taking into account our many skills and best intentions, there is almost nothing a librarian can do to fix/help/provide whatever it is the conductor is asking for IN THE MIDDLE OF A REHEARSAL, without bringing proceedings to a halt and making everyone sit there. 99% of the time it’s not an appropriate way to handle the situation, and whatever the conductor wants should be asked for privately either before or after the rehearsal. It’s a huge waste of time for everyone, and accomplishes nothing except putting the librarian in a bad light. The orchestra doesn’t know if whatever issue has come up was perhaps not conveyed in a timely fashion to the librarian, or was an error on someone else’s part, or is not even possible. This is not to say librarians never make mistakes; of course we do. Librarians, players, personnel managers, and conductors all make mistakes, and no one wants to look foolish in front of 100 colleagues. When it’s our mistake, we try to own up to it and take the hit like a professional, hoping it doesn’t happen in front of the orchestra.

Getting called to the stage (or worse, having one of the orchestra members “sent” to the library to get the librarian) doesn’t happen that often, but it should only happen in a true emergency, or for something that really cannot wait 10 more minutes. If an assistant or associate conductor does this more than once, I talk to them and explain why this isn’t helpful. If it’s a guest conductor I go to the stage, and then request that whatever the problem is we try to resolve it privately so as not to take everyone else’s time. I cannot remember being unnecessarily called to the stage by a music director. I think in most cases, they realize how important their relationship is with the librarian and that this is not the best way to take care of business.