William and Gayle Cook Music Library

Locating and Listening to Sound Recordings Online

Where is this service available?

Online listening through the VARIATIONS system is available on the Windows PCs in the stacks on the first and third floors of the Cook Music Library or in the Computer Lab (Room 373). Headphones may be checked out at the Reserves counter at the circulation desk.

How do I find recordings?

Recordings in the Music Library's collection may be found by searching IUCAT, the online catalog of the Indiana University Libraries. Records for sound recordings which are available online contain links to the online copy in VARIATIONS.

Sound recordings on reserve for classes may also be accessed from the Course Reserves page on the Music Library web site. For more information, please consult the tutorial Listening to Reserve Recordings Online ( http://www.music.indiana.edu/variations/help/tutorial/), which is also available in print format at the circulation desk.

To access IUCAT:

• Start your favorite Internet web browser to access the Music Library's World Wide Web Home page
  ( http://www.music.indiana.edu/muslib.html).
• Click on the New IUCAT button (under Frequently Used Services in the left margin of the Music Library's Home page).

OR

• Go directly to IUCAT at http://iucat.iu.edu/.

For help on searching IUCAT, see the IUCAT guide and interactive tutorial at ( http://www.indiana.edu/~libugls/Publications/handouts_iucat.html).

In IUCAT, how do I limit my search to recordings that are available online?

Add "http" to your keywords anywhere search to limit the results to those items that have URLs in the bibliographic record:

Example:

[Choose Keywords Anywhere]

How do I know if the recording I find is available online?

If you find a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) in the bibliographic record, the sound recording is available for listening online.

Example:

Once I find the URL, how do I listen to the recording?

• Once you have found the recording you want to listen to in IUCAT, click on the URL field to go to the track listing for that recording.
• From the tracks listing, click on the Side/Disc link to choose a sound file and begin listening.
• You may receive a message indicating that the sound recording will have to be retrieved from tape. Click on "Continue" to retrieve it. You will receive a message, updated every 30 seconds, telling you the status of your request.
  You can read e-mail or do something else while you wait for your request to be processed.
• For best results, do not cancel the request or ask that another item be retrieved until after you've received your first request.
• Once the file is retrieved, the VARIATIONS player will pop to the top of the screen and the music will begin to play.

  Example:

  

For more information on how to use the VARIATIONS Player, please see the tutorial
Listening to Reserve Recordings Online ( http://www.music.indiana.edu/variations/help/tutorial/).

If you have questions or comments about this service, please e-mail them to: varia@dlib.indiana.edu

---

Last updated: 28 March 2001 / Emma D.
URL: http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/variations/help/iucat/
Comments: varia@dlib.indiana.edu
Copyright 1997-2001, The Trustees of Indiana University