Music Librarian

BBC; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading broadcasting organization is seeking a Music Librarian to manage and provide sheet music for its Performing Groups. The role requires a degree in Music or equivalent experience and involves sourcing and preparing printed and digital sheet music, maintaining catalogs, and ensuring compliance with copyright regulations. The organization values flexibility and collaboration, offering competitive benefits and the opportunity to work in an esteemed environment.

Qualifications

• Degree in Music or equivalent experience in a music library or orchestral setting.
• Strong music reading skills.
• Understanding of UK copyright law.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively.

Responsibilities

• Source and manage music materials for production needs.
• Collaborate with production teams and composers.
• Maintain catalogues ensuring compliance with copyright.
• Handle financial processes for materials and services.
• Provide expert knowledge of music materials.

Skills

Music reading skills

Knowledge of musical genres

Organisational skills

Collaborative approach

Education

Degree in Music or equivalent

Tools

Sibelius (v6+)

Job description

Overview

JOB DETAILS
JOB BAND: B
CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent, Full-time
DEPARTMENT: Library & Curatorial Services - Radio and Music
LOCATION: London - Broadcast Centre - on site working required with flexible hybrid arrangements.
PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: £28,0000 - £32,000 depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights. London weighting will apply.
We\'re happy to discuss flexible working. If you\'d like to, please indicate your preference in the application - though there\'s no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

Purpose of the role

The Music Librarian is responsible for sourcing and preparing printed and digital sheet music for performance and production use by the BBC\'s Performing Groups and other production areas directly supporting output. Working in the Archives Music Library team, you will develop and maintain the BBC\'s central collection of sheet music holdings, manage the hire of music and associated payments, and acquire new materials for the collection upon request. You will maintain the central catalogue, digitise existing assets as required / permitted and update the catalogue with associated data. You will also help identify value within the collection and directly contribute to BBC Archives\' purpose by ensuring the BBC\'s unique collection of performance materials are accessible for use, providing audience and business value both now, and into the future.

Why join the team

This role offers a fantastic opportunity for a music enthusiast to apply their passion to the BBC\'s relied upon music library services. Music Librarians are responsible for the full range of tasks required for the management of the collection and provision of printed sheet music and work in close collaboration with counterparts in the BBC\'s Performing Groups, and music production areas. Working closely with production management, the Proms team and CRBA (Commercial Rights and Business Affairs), Music Librarians provide a complete end-to-end service from receiving a request, researching and sourcing music from the best source, liaising with arrangers, composers and publishers, printing and preparing scores and processing payments, ensuring everything is completed to deadlines.

Your key responsibilities and impact

• Source and manage music materials from BBC stock or external suppliers to meet production needs, ensuring high standards of musical broadcasting.
• Collaborate with production teams, performing groups, publishers, arrangers, and composers to deliver accurate and timely music library services.
• Maintain catalogues and databases to agreed standards, acting as the gatekeeper for music records and ensuring compliance with copyright regulations.
• Handle financial processes including payments for hire, purchase, overdue charges, and service billing to productions.
• Provide expert knowledge of music materials such as scores, parts, extracts, and booklets, supporting all aspects of production requirements.

Your skills and experience

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Degree in Music or equivalent experience in a music library or orchestral setting, with strong music reading skills.
• Broad knowledge of musical genres and works, plus intermediate proficiency in Sibelius (v6+).
• Understanding of UK copyright law and ability to make informed decisions on music material usage.
• Excellent organisational skills to maintain accurate records, prioritise workload, and ensure payments are processed in a timely manner
• Collaborative approach, working effectively with production teams and library colleagues.

DESIRED BUT NOT REQUIRED:

• Experience of digital reprographics and use of bindery equipment to produce music materials to a high standard
• Awareness of finance systems and processes for invoicing, credit card payments and international shipping of materials to and from the UK
• Experience of working in, or using, music libraries
• Experience of using sheet music apps and sheet music in a digital context
• Ability to arrange / typeset music

If you can bring some of these skills and experience, along with transferable strengths, we\'d love to hear from you and encourage you to apply.

Please note: Before your start date, you may need to disclose any unspent convictions or police charges, in line with our Contracts of Employment policy. This allows us to discuss any support you may need and assess any risks. Failure to disclose may result in the withdrawal of your offer.

Disclaimer

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.

Please note: If you were to be offered this role, the BBC will conduct Employment screening checks which include Reference checks; Eligibility to work checks; and if applicable to the role, Safeguarding and Adverse media/Social media checks. Any offer made is conditional on these checks being satisfactory.

For any general queries, please contact: [e-mail]

Redeployment

The BBC is committed to redeploying employees seeking suitable alternative employment within the BBC and they will be given priority consideration ahead of other applicants. Priority consideration means for those employees seeking redeployment their application will be considered alongside anyone else at risk of redundancy, prior to any individuals being considered who are not at risk.

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