Search Hints:
- The search is not case sensitive (beethoven will retrieve Beethoven).
- Search by any word or string of words in the title.
- Enter author's last name first (Schubert, Franz).
- Find titles written in various languages by searching for composer's name only.
- Truncate titles and names for best results (suite will retrieve suite and suites; rhapsod will retrieve rhapsody and rhapsodies).
- Search for various spellings of names and titles (search for Tchaikovsky also as Tschaikowsky or Tschaikovsky; search for J.S. Bach as Bach, J).
- Search for composer and title of work, if known (Beethoven in the first blank and symphon in the second).
Borrowing Orchestral Sets
SFPL lends orchestral sets to established organizations with a current loan agreement on file with the Art, Music & Recreation Department. All users may review sets in the Library.
Loan Agreements
Organizations must complete a loan agreement before borrowing. Agreements remain active for two years and renew automatically if contact information is unchanged and all previous sets were returned complete. To set up an agreement, submit the online form and provide a brief verification of your organization.
Paging and Checkout
Sets may be paged for borrowing or for short-term in-library use. Please call ahead to confirm availability.
At checkout, review the parts and report any missing or damaged items. Loan periods range from two to four months, based on performance needs.
Returns
Return all parts in numerical order. Staff will check sets for completeness; sets with missing parts are not considered returned. Renewal may be offered to allow for part replacement.
Notes
Reference sets (marked “REF”) do not circulate.
Organizations with overdue or incomplete sets may not borrow additional materials.
Damaged parts must be reported so repair or replacement can be assessed.
Contact
Art, Music & Recreation Department – Main Library, 4th Floor
415-557-4526
artmusicrec@sfpl.org