Bibliographic relationships among musical bibliographic entities: A conceptual analysis of music represented in a library catalog with a taxonomy of the relationships discovered

This dissertation used descriptive empirical research methodology to examine the bibliographical relationships among musical bibliographic entities. The study focuses on four areas: identification and characterization of music scores represented in a library catalog; identification of the bibliographic relationships that exist among musical bibliographic entities and other entities in the bibliographic universe; creation of a taxonomy of those relationships found; and the identification and classification of the linking devices used to identify and link the bibliographic records representing related musical bibliographic entities in a library catalog. Characteristics of the music scores are examined as possible predictors of specific bibliographic relationship types. The results of this research disclose the extent of relatedness among music bibliographic entities, and point out weaknesses in the current syndetic structure of online catalogs. The dissertation provides the specific relationship information necessary to support the design schema for the relational database structure of future catalogs representing collections of musical items and works.