Sound and Moving Image Library (York University)

Based in Torondo, Canada at the York University, Sound and Moving Image Library (SMIL) has some of the latest music available for purchase to use for assignments, research, and personal education. The library has more than 100 000 CDs and DVDs, and 150 000 audio and video digital files. The sound recordings collection covers many genres of music, selected spoken word material, and some sound effects. The library’s collection includes music from various cultures of the world in North American, Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa. It collects popular music on a regular basis in response to teaching needs in music as well as a general interest in popular culture.

The library prefers its collections be on compact discs although newer technologies are constantly monitored. A large amount of the collections are still in LP format, but efforts are made to have CD copies of recordings. Original recordings produced on audio cassette tape are avoided wherever possible because of inferior durability, but are still purchased considering it is the only available format.

The Special Collections department of SMIL houses a number of limited edition series on African music, jazz and 20th century music. The library is open to members of the public on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 09h00am until 19h00, Friday 09h00am till 17h00pm and is closed on Monday, Saturday and Sunday.