Handing Flute Researchers the Keys: Developing a Flute Research Guide for the Riemenschneider Bach Institute

Abstract

The Riemenschneider Bach Institute (RBI) at Baldwin Wallace University houses a plethora of fascinating flute-related materials. However, the students who would have the easiest access to these materials are either unaware of their existence or unsure of where to begin their research. And, for researchers outside of BW who may not immediately be able to visit the RBI, it is difficult to discern the value of an item to their work based on catalog records alone.

The new Flute Materials in the Riemenschneider Bach Institute research guide addresses these issues in numerous ways. This public-facing virtual guide provides in-depth descriptions of over 25 flute-related items from the RBI’s collections including lists of contents, unique markings, and biographical information on authors/contributors. This provides students who are unaware of or intimidated by the possibility of researching these items with an accessible place to learn more about them at any time. And, for researchers outside of BW, the guide provides a way to quickly learn more about a given item and explore the ways in which it could be incorporated into their work before even setting foot in the RBI.

Ultimately, the Flute Materials in the Riemenschneider Bach Institute research guide marks an important step towards making the RBI’s fascinating array of flute materials more accessible to all and, hopefully, will pave the way for additional subject-specific virtual RBI research guides in the future.