Tools for Finding Scores
Milner Tools for Finding Scores
- Milner CatalogFIRST check the Milner Library catalog to see if we have the score you need. You can check out scores at the Service Desk on Floor 2 with your Redbird Card.
- NkodaNEXT, check Nkoda for online access to your score. Nkoda is a searchable, curated collection of music scores. You can search for scores on the app or using the Databases A to Z list link, BUT you can only view scores by installing the Nkoda App on your personal device. You can only view scores as online files within the Nkoda app. They are not downloadable or printable. Choose the 'Login with your institution' option. It is recommended you use your ISU email address. Consult our FAQ for mobile device instructions.
- I-Share CatalogTHIRD, if Milner doesn't have the score you need, search the catalogs of the 90+ I-Share libraries throughout Illinois we share with to see if they have the score you need. You can request scores for free with your Milner/I-Share account. It takes 3-5 days for scores to come to Milner for pickup at the Service Desk on Floor 2.
- Interlibrary LoanLAST, if both Milner and I-Share don't have your score, place an interlibrary loan request for free. It takes about 10-14 days for scores to come to Milner Library for pickup at the Service Desk on Floor 2.
Websites
- American Memory Collection - Library of CongressClick "Performing Arts" to connect to thousands of pieces of early American sheet music available online from the Library of Congress. Or, click "Sheet Music" on the right. Includes African American, Civil War, Appalachian collections and more.
- Bach Complete WorksBach Gesellschaft edition, completely digitized.
- Chopin Digital CollectionSelected editions of scores from the National Library in Warsaw.
- Choral Public Domain LibraryThousands of pages of choral music in the public domain.
- Classical String Quartets - Duke UniversityA digitized collection from Duke Univeristy of approximately forty collections of string quartets, with parts, representing composers whose works are rarely found in modern editions.
- International Music Score Library ProjectAn internet collaborative music library dedicated to providing scores free of charge.
- International Music Score Library Project WikiThe wiki for the International Music Score Library Project.
- Julliard Manuscript CollectionAn extraordinary collection of 138 music autograph manuscripts, sketches, engraver’s proofs and early editions from Bach to Warlock, donated to Juilliard.
- Lully, Jean-Baptiste Collection University of North TexasAbout 30 rare 17th- and 18th-century scores of operas and ballets by the 17th-century French composer Jean-Baptiste Lully and his sons from the University of North Texas.
- Neue Mozart-AusgabeThe digitized version offers the musical text and the critical commentaries of the entire Neue Mozart-Ausgabe.
- MutopiaThe Mutopia Project offers sheet music editions of classical music for free download. These are based on editions in the public domain.
- Sam DeVincent Collection of Sheet Music - Indiana UniversityIndex by title, composer, subject, first line, performer to approximately 24,000 pieces of sheet music, songbooks, and folios
- Score On lineSubscription service with some free scores available
- Sheet Music Collections - Duke UniversityAccess to sheet music databases and collections in libraries
- American Vernacular Music Manuscripts, ca. 1730-1910A digital collection of handwritten music manuscripts from the American Antiquarian Society and the Center for Popular Music.
- Franz Liszt at the Library of CongressOver 900 items related to Franz Liszt (1811-1886) from Library of Congress collections. Includes early printed editions and manuscripts of his music, correspondence, personal records, and annotated ephemera.
Call Numbers
Most scores can be found on the 6th floor of Milner Library. Search the library catalog to find out what scores are in the collection.
Scores in Milner Library are cataloged using the Library of Congress classification system. You can browse the following sections of call numbers on the shelf to find scores with particular instrumentation.
| Call Number Range | Subject |
| M 452 | String quartets |
| M 857.4 | Horn octets |
| M 1001 | Symphonies |
| M 1033 |
Trombone concertos (piano reduction) |
| M 1503 | Operas (piano/vocal) |
Interested in how long you can check out scores? View the list of loan periods Milner resources.
Need help? Ask me!
Christine Fary
she/her
Contact:
Phone: 309-438-5010
Office: Milner Room 426A
In person and Zoom consultations by appointment: use the Schedule Appointment button.
Office: Milner Room 426A
In person and Zoom consultations by appointment: use the Schedule Appointment button.
Subjects: Agriculture, Music