Librarians: In their own words

Here is a snapshot about OPAS. OPAS is a software program designed specifically to manage the various facets of orchestra administration. It contains modules for the calendar/schedule, repertoire, artistic planning, personnel, and operations departments. Within each module there are many fields (ex: the library component has fields for composers, titles, performance history, instrumentation, library holdings, rental and publisher information, and so on). OPAS has a central database, so all the data is related and all-inclusive. While there are other databases out there, OPAS seems to be the leader in its field, so to speak. It is also the only database that was begun as a library resource, as opposed to one that might have begun as, say, an administrative or financial resource. What happens at the NSO is that the library is responsible for generating all the timings, instrumentation, special stage requirements (found within the score or through direct contact with the composer), and edition information to the other departments. When we are done with a concert, the performance history is also in OPAS (dates, times, conductor and/or soloists, location, timings of the individual pieces, any special items). We are able to generate reports: how many times have we really played Shostakovich #5 and with whom? It is a tremendous resource.