George F. DeVine Music Library history - written by Pauline Bayne
This music library had its beginning as a small collection of sound recordings brought together for teaching and study within the Department of Fine Arts. The department was located originally in a house in the 1500 block of Cumberland Avenue, and its record collection was used on a landing in the stairwell. Gradually, scores and books needed for classroom instruction were added to the departmental collection.
When the Fine Arts Department was divided into separate music and art units and when the new Music Building on Volunteer Boulevard was opened in 1965, it was time to reconsider the departmental materials. A separate suite of rooms had been set aside for the collection and services. Music faculty, led by Dr. Calvin Bower and George DeVine, requested that composers' complete works, historical sets of scores, other printed music and reference books be moved from the Hoskins (Main) Library to what was now called the Music Materials Center. A transfer of materials was made by Library administrators. Olive Branch, Head of Acquisitions, created a music allocation for the purchase of new items to be located in the Music Materials Center. The Department of Music provided furniture, turntables, and a staff member to oversee the operation.
In 1971, University Librarian Richard Boss and Heads of the Departments of Music (Dr. Herb Fred) and Music Education (Dr. Humphries) came to a mutual agreement: the University Library would take over administration of the Music Materials Center and turn it into a full branch library, increasing its staffing and collection budget over time. This proposal was accepted and on July 1, 1971, the Music Library came into existance with its first professional music librarian, Ann Viles, in place. Viles had received her bachelor's and master's degrees in clarinet performance at the University of Tennessee and a master of science in library science at the University of North Carolina. During her two years as Head of the Music Library, she selected new materials, cataloged sound recordings, set policies and procedures for the branch, offered reference services and did the variety of things that a branch librarian does. There was one full-time staff member to handle circulation, reserve, and processing. A small number of hours for student assistants rounded out the staffing. Leaving UT in 1973, Ann Viles went on to work for two years at Harrassowitz, Inc. in Weisbaden, Germany, as music librarian at the Curtis Institute of Music, completed a PhD in musicology at Bryn Mawr, and then returned to Tennessee, where she served as Head of the Music Library at the University of Memphis from 1980-1997. She went on to the library at Appalachian State University, where she is Coordinator of Reference and Instruction.
Pauline Shaw Bayne was the second professional librarian to head the Music Library, beginning on August 1, 1973. She, too, received her master of science in library science degree at the University of North Carolina and a master of music degree in music history from Northwestern University. During her tenure, the collection grew to over 83,000 items; the staffing increased to two full-time librarians, two full-time support staff and the full-time equivalent of 2.5 in student assistants. There were many upgrades to audio equipment and additions for video, computers, the use of online databases including audio, and interactive multimedia instructional materials. Reference service, creation of specialized databases: the UT Song Index and UT Analysis Index for local information, and increases in library instruction were emphasized. She created two bibliographies to share our holdings: The Gottfried Galston Collection and Galston-Busoni Archive, 1978 and The David Van Vactor Collection: A Catalog, 1993, co-authored with Stuart Garrett, Rebecca Smeltzer, and Marsha Michie.
For twenty months in 1986 and 1987, Mrs. Bayne served as Assistant to the Director of Libraries for Library Relocation. In this capacity, she planned and supervised the move of four library collections and 28 library units into the new Hodges Library, which opened on September 24, 1987. Over the years, Mrs. Bayne has continued to increase her UT Libraries administrative responsibilities, adding responsibility for the Media Center, Social Work Library, and special projects to her Music Library duties in 1997; serving a one-year term as Interim Associate Dean in 1999-2000; conceiving of and starting The Studio in 2001; and serving as Interim Assistant Dean from September 2006 – November 2007. In 2008, after 35 years, she relinquished her Head of Music Library title to become Assistant Dean of Libraries in an on-going capacity. Currently, the two Music librarians, Nathalie Hristov and Chris Durman, report to Sandra Leach, the Head of Branch Library Services.
As an adjunct faculty member, Pauline taught a generation of graduate music students the foundational concepts of music library research and writing. Her 17-year teaching of Music Bibliography culminated in publication of her textbook, A Guide to Library Research in Music, by Scarecrow Press in September 2008.
Bayne’s university service included the office of Secretary of the Faculty Senate from 1976-79 and as the first woman President of that body, 1980-81. Professionally, she has been an active contributor to the work of the Music Library Association and its regional chapter, the Southeast Music Library Association (SEMLA). She served in various offices of SEMLA including Chapter Chairperson and several terms on its Executive Committee. In the national MLA, she served on various committees including Development, Statistics and as Chair of the Nominating Committee, and on the Board of Directors as Fiscal Officer from 2003-05. Growing from her work with the Basic Music Collections Committee, was A Basic Music Library: Scores and Recordings published in two editions in 1978 and 1983 by the American Library Association.
The Music Library was named for George F. DeVine, professor emeritus of the Department of Music on the occasion of his retirement in 1985. The actual naming ceremony took place at a retirement dinner in his honor on April 17, 1985.
