The Cecilia online database, launched in London on July 1st, aims to map the music resources of the British Isles. It contains information on collections of music materials of all kinds held in libraries, archives, museums and other repositories in the UK and Ireland. The project is administered by the UK and Ireland Branch of the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres (IAML), and funded by The British Library Co-operation and Partnership Programme; The Research Support Libraries Programme; Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries; and The Music Libraries Trust.

The database currently lists over 1,500 collections from over 500 institutions and this, apparently, is just the tip of the iceberg. Those who can benefit from the database include everyone interested in music of any kind: students, researchers, school children and music lovers in general. According to Susi Woodhouse, branch president of IAML UK & Ireland and Cecilia’s project director, there is a wealth of music-related materials distributed among a wide variety of institutions, and Cecilia’s chief aim is to provide unified and easy access to it. Irish collections included so far include those of the Contemporary Music Centre, the Irish Traditional Music Archive, the National Library of Ireland and Cumann Náisiúnta na gCór (the Association of Irish Choirs).