Announcing the Mechanical Music Library, International, Inc. --
a research library covering all mechanical musical instruments and
automata.

Our hobby, and enthusiasm for mechanical musical instruments, is in
decline.  Membership in the Musical Box Society International (MBSI),
the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors' Association (AMICA),
and the Musical Box Society of Great Britain (MBSGB), the three largest
collector organizations, has been decreasing for more than a decade.
Fewer and fewer instruments are coming out of attics, or are being
offered in auctions, or are being offered by antique dealers.

Many heirs of collectors with only a couple or a collection of these
instruments are usually aware of the value of the instruments they
inherit but, unfortunately, often  books, catalogs, journals, and other
ephemera is consigned to the dumpster or given to the local library.
We believe that in the past several decades many priceless documents,
catalogs, and books relating to mechanical music have been lost.  And
we may have only a few years or so to collect whatever is left before
much of what remains is gone.

To help stem that loss, the Mechanical Music Library, Intl., Inc.
(MMLI) has been formed and was incorporated as a non-stock corporation
in Connecticut in 2010.  Q. David Bowers is Honorary Chairman.  The
officers are William Edgerton, President, and Ann Edgerton,
Secretary-Treasurer.  The directors are Jim Krughoff, Frank Metzger,
and Ralph Schack.  An IRS Section 501(c)(3) designation was requested
and granted with an effective date of June 7, 2010.  This grants
tax-deductibility to contributions made to the Library.

The Library purpose, as stated in its Certificate of Incorporation,
is "to collect and make available for reference or dissemination the
following items pertaining to mechanical music and mechanical musical
instruments: books, pamphlets, journals, audio tapes, video tapes,
CDs, DVDs, posters, photographs, patents, postcards, correspondence,
catalogs, and other ephemera."

Most library materials are paper, and ours are placed in acid-free
and anti-microbial folders and stored at as close as we can get to 60
degrees F. and 30% relative humidity, ideal conditions for the long-term
storage of paper.

A website shows the catalog of all Library materials and is searchable
by keyword.  There is no charge to visit the website and view the
catalog:  http://www.mechanicalmusiclibrary.com/ 

Cataloging commenced with nearly 1,000 items contributed to MMLI
by Bill and Ann Edgerton.  The MBSI subsequently agreed to loan all
its extensive library collection to MMLI to be classified, cataloged,
filed, and scanned, as time and copyright conditions permit.  Thousands
of documents, journals, and books from MBSI and other donors have been
cataloged so far.  Eventually, many of these items will be scanned and
will be available online.

Visits to the Library to view books or documents in person may be made
by appointment.  There is no charge to respond to a question about
something appearing in the Library files.  A modest donation may be
requested if an inquiry results in photocopying or extensive research.
We always have duplicate books for sale -- an e-mail request to
wedgerton@aol.com.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply] will secure
a list of items for sale which are priced to sell at about two-thirds
of the lowest Internet offering price for that title.

Donations to the Library are solicited; cash donations will be used
to acquire materials that must be purchased or to help create an
endowment.  Donations of Library materials are definitely wanted,
especially if those items are originals when we only have copies,
or if they aren't in our catalog at all.  A want list showing items
especially desired is available on request.  Donations will be
acknowledged and donors will be forever identified as the source of
that or those particular library materials.

Not all library material owned or loaned has been cataloged.  Donations
of any appropriate materials not on our website are encouraged.  All
donations will be acknowledged.  General questions or inquiries may be
made to tel. 1-203-857-0240.

Bill Edgerton - Mechanical Music Library, International, Inc.,
P.O. Box 1007, Darien, Connecticut 06820 USA