NABMSA aims to promote the study of British Music from all time periods on the North American Continent; to provide a collegial and supportive forum for discussion through electronic and other means; to provide a clearinghouse of information on the study of such music; and to foster regular meetings to discuss the same.
BRITISH LIBRARY
The British press recently announced potential funding cuts to the British Library (see articles in The Independent and The Guardian). These cuts could result in the decreasing of accessibility hours by up to a third, closing the public exhibition galleries, charging researchers for the use of reading rooms, closing the newspaper archives at Colindale, and reducing the permanent collection by up to 15%.
There is a call to action for supporters on the British Library's home page:
"The British Library and the Public Sector Spending Review Readers may have read in the newspapers that the British Library may have to start charging for access to the reading rooms.
We are currently working with DCMS to assist them in making the best case
for the British Library in the current public sector spending review. They
will present our case to the Treasury over the next few weeks and months.
However all commentators agree that the current
economic climate dictates that this will be a tight settlement.
You probably want to know how best to support us at this point. We should
be pleased if you would let us know why the British Library is important to
you and give us permission to use your letter in our campaign. Please e-mail
chief-executive@bl.uk with your
name, contact
number and message, or write to Lynne Brindley, Chief Executive, The British
Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB.
Thank you
Lynne Brindley
Chief Exceutive, The British Library"
NABMSA has responded (see letter), and we encourage those who value what the British Library stands for and the invaluable services it provides to join us in the fight to save one of the greatest repositories of human knowledge from this short-sighted threat.
Webmaster, Kendra Leonard
Updated March 2008
