New home is found for Yorkshire Music Library

The Yorkshire Music Library, which was previously looked after by Fresh Horizons, in Huddersfield, a not-for-profit organisation which has now ceased operating, is one of the largest collections in the UK and provides a wealth of materials for choirs and orchestras across the country.

It was feared the collection would be lost if a new home could not be found and 
discussions have been ongoing with chief librarians 
across the region to consider options.

Yesterday it was announced a new home has been found in Leeds Central Library after Leeds Council has come to the rescue and agreed that the collection will be made available through the authority’s Music and Performing Arts Library.

Bev Rice, the council’s head of library and information service, said yesterday: “It came as a great shock to us all that we could lose such an important national resource....”

It is expected it will take a couple of months to fully establish the service. It is hoped existing requests will be shortly honoured and staff will contact customers as soon as they are in a position to accept new orders.