The idea for RILM, as its founder Barry S. Brook later reflected, originated in 1964 from the belief that “the alternative to automation was inundation”. The idea was first publicly presented at the American Musicological Society’s meeting on 10 April 1965. During this presentation, a broad yet clear proposal was introduced, suggesting the creation of an abstract journal that would catalog “significant musicological literature published worldwide”, envisioned as a collaborative effort across multiple countries and universities, supporting graduate-level musicology research. The abstracts would be stored in a computer, indexed, published, and made accessible for retrieval in various ways as needed.
A few months later, Brook unveiled a more comprehensive proposal at the Dijon congress of the International Association of Music Libraries. Years afterward, he expressed surprise at the proposal’s remarkably optimistic forecasts. Among its key points, the proposal envisioned RILM producing two main publication series–one focused on current literature and the other dedicated to retrospective material. It outlined a plan to release abstracts and indexes quarterly, with the long-term goal of compiling volumes of retroactive bibliographic records. It also anticipated the use of computer-based automatic indexing, enabling extensive cross-referencing and efficient information retrieval. It described a system in which cumulative indexes would be automatically generated, printed, and published on a regular basis. Additionally, it proposed that researchers could request computer-assisted bibliographic searches and receive printed results tailored to their inquiries. Finally, the proposal suggested that RILM would become financially self-sustaining through publication revenues and fees charged to institutions and individuals seeking specialized information services.
Brook later acknowledged that the 1965 proposal had been a product of wishful thinking–an idealistic vision of what might be possible. He admitted it was strikingly naïve in terms of the practical means by which RILM and its associated initiatives could be realized. Yet, in hindsight, he also recognized its uncanny prescience: nearly every element outlined in the proposal had, over time, become a reality within the history of RILM.
