THE RIPM-RILM COLLABORATION
RIPM
and RILM are complementary publications published under the auspices
of the International Musicological Society (IMS) and the International
Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres
(IAML). RIPM’s electronic and print publications focused, until
2001, almost exclusively on nineteenth-century music periodicals,
and RILM’s, until recently, on music literature (of all document
types) published from 1967 to the present. Recognizing the gap in
coverage between 1901 and 1966, these two sister organizations have
consulted with each other and carefully planned how—by extending
their chronological boundaries and by organizing a distribution
of periodical coverage—they can collectively offer access to over
two-hundred years of periodical literature on music.
The RIPM-RILM collaboration works this way: RIPM now treats music periodicals that ceased publication before or around 1950, while RILM’s periodical coverage will focus on journals that continued to be published well beyond this date. For those periodicals that ceased publication in the 1950s or early 1960s, decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, with the general understanding that, if most of a periodical’s issues were published before 1950, RIPM will likely treat it; if most appeared after 1950, RILM will likely cover it. In this way both RIPM and RILM will offer access to complete runs of journals, and eventually to over two centuries of music periodical literature from the late eighteenth century to the present.
Content Description
RIPM and RILM supply readers with extensive editorial commentary dealing with content, RIPM in the form of annotated records and indexing, and RILM in the form of abstracts and indexing.
Compatibility of Records
Both RIPM and RILM are available online through NISC (National Information Services Corporation) and OCLC. These vendors offer users the possibility to search the two databases simultaneously. Thus, readers are able to search both RIPM and RILM through a single URL and through the use of one search engine, providing unparalleled access to essential documents dealing with two-hundred years of Western music and musical life.