CDs are located on the 1st floor of the library, behind the circulation desk.  Sorry, you can't browse through the CDs on your own - you will have to give the circulation worker a specific call number.  Therefore, the only way to find a specific CD is to use the online catalog. 

Finding a score or recording of a specific piece of music is probably the trickiest task when searching the online catalog.  That's because the numbering systems and key designations of classical compositions can be written in many different ways.  Suppose you want to find a specific Beethoven piano sonata.  He only wrote 32, so it should be pretty easy, right?  Sorry, it's too complicated to be easy.  Your piano instructor has told you to find Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 20 in G major, Op. 49, No. 2.  You type that string of text into the online catalog, and you get nothing! Does that mean we don't have it?  Maybe.  Or it could be a problem with your text.

• Should you type "No. 20," "Number 20," or "#20?"
• Should you type "Op. 49" or "Opus 49?"
• What about the key? Should it be typed "G major" or "G dur?"  (It might be a German publication, after all.)

How do you answer these questions?  The safest way is to eliminate the words or designations that might cause trouble.  Try searching for "Beethoven piano sonata 20" or "Beethoven piano sonata op 49."  The important thing is to keep it simple.

The easiest way to find things in the library is to use the Online Catalog.

1. Click the catalog link on the library home page or use the link above
2. Type in keyword(s), title, or author - for specific pieces of music, see suggestions on the left in this guide.
3. Click Search.
4. Use the "Format" toolbar to limit your results to CDs. 
5. Many times, you may discover that the piece you want is part of an anthology or collection.  You can click on the title of the anthology and look in the Table of Contents online to make sure the collection contains your piece.  But if the Table of Contents is not listed, you may need to visit the library, ask the circulation worker to pull the CD for you, and look for yourself to make sure you're getting what you want.
6. Unfortunately, CDs may not be checked out from the library.  However, you can check them out and listen to them in the library, using your own equipment or ours.  We have headphones you can check out, and we sell ear buds for $1.00 per pair.  Just ask at the circulation desk.

For more information about using DBU's online library catalog, visit our Catalog Guide.