The Collections

The library currently houses over 18,000 music performance scores, 12,000 sound recordings, 38,000 books, 5,200 bound periodical volumes, 3,500 videotapes, 28,800 slides, and 3,800 artist's books.

Our New Acquisitions are available in PDF format.

Performance Score
The performance music collection has an emphasis on chamber music, twentieth century ensemble works, opera, and music theatre. There is also a limited orchestral collection - view the List of Orchestral Scores [pdf].

Sound Recordings
The recordings collection supplements the print performance scores. This includes a selected archival collection of campus concert performances.

Books
The goal of the book collection is to directly support the programs of The Banff Centre. For recreational reading materials, patrons are invited to make use of the Banff Public Library.

Periodicals
The library currently subscribes to about 150 periodicals (see title list), reflecting a broad cross-section of the visual and performing arts and leadership. For the convenience of our patrons, the Library also subscribes to a number of indexing services, including Art Index. Where a current hard-copy volume is not available, staff may be able to assist patrons with other resources including CD-ROM's, online databases, and the Internet.

Video

The library, in co-operation with the Walter Phillips Gallery, has a collection of historical and contemporary videotapes by video artists from around the world. The tapes can be screened on request in the Library.

Other commercially-purchased videotapes, reflecting programs within the Centre arts programming, are also available. The library houses a collection of videotapes documenting past performances of Banff Centre programs (dance, drama, opera, music theatre, etc.). The library also has a circulating collection of feature films and videos, which can be borrowed on three-day loan.

Slides
A collection of historical slides is available.

Artist's Books
Home to over 3,800 works, this collection includes many rare and unique books and bookworks created by artists in Canada and abroad. In addition to works that embody traditional book formats, this collection also includes multiples, unbound/open works, photoworks, mail art, and artist's ephemera.

CD-ROM
Also available for use with the public computers are a number of CD-ROM titles. Please ask the staff for assistance as these CD-ROMs are held at the front desk.