Join the Ottawa Choral Lending Library!

Advantages of joining:

  • Free to join and connect, and access to a larger number of interested choirs through related networks;
  • Easy to consult, as the catalogues will be blended and available as one web page or one pdf document. All listings of a particular title will file together so that at-a-glance, you will quickly see what is available.
  • A positive effort to enhance communication among, and collaboration with, the larger choral community;
  • Borrowing music is a free, or at least less-expensive, option to purchasing new music, especially when it is likely to be performed only once;
  • Quick access to catalogues of participating choirs (rather than emailing them all separately to inquire);
  • Low effort for you: simply send either a document to OCLL with a minimum of data (title, composer, # copies);
  • Source of revenue, from rental requests generated;
  • Increased communication and collaboration among local and extended Canadian choirs;
  • Sharing and connecting openly, without having to go through a gate-keeper;
  • Free advertizing of your upcoming concerts;
  • This effort is supported by Ewashko Singers, one of Ottawa's most prominent chamber choirs, well-connected in the community and beyond.
To address your hesitations:
  • There is no cost or commitment to you. Share your document annually, or even less often, and your upcoming choral concert information as often as you like. Withdraw whenever you like, as well.
  • It will be up to you and your choir, whether to charge for loans of music or not. While rental rates are suggested, there is no obligation to charge.
  • Will this project fizzle and die? I (Mary) am a retired librarian, not likely to cease my choral singing for quite a while, and looking for ways to volunteer in the musical community. This fits the bill nicely, as I am skilled in web work, spreadsheets, and computer work. But even if I cannot continue this effort, the project may become so valuable that someone else might take it on. And even if not, and the project dies, nothing is actually lost as the collections themselves stay with *you*, the participating choirs.

Contact us for more information