The Music Library has more than three dozen special, archival collections. These include personal collections of faculty members such as Yvar Mikhashoff, Jan Williams, Leo Smit, Morton Feldman, Livingston Gearhart, as well as the library's collections of photographs and institutional records. These collections are listed separately, with links to their respective finding aids, at http://library.buffalo.edu/music/collections/archives.php

The Music Department's presentation since 1961 of myriad performances and festivals of new music, involving a multitude of eminent visiting and University composers and performers, has benefited the library. Numerous works from those events, in manuscript and uncopyrighted photocopies, photostats, and blackline prints--many with marginalia by their creators--are preserved in the Library's collections. Some of the composers represented include: Austin, Cardew, Chadabe, Davidovsky, Del Tredici, Erb, Feldman, Gaburo, Gideon, Riley, Rzewski, Sapp, Schwartz, Shapey, and Subotnick.

The performances of contemporary music are also documented by hundreds of live recordings. The separate concert series include:

• Creative Associates' Recitals, 1964-80
  108 concerts, with 622 works recorded
  
  
• [Department] Concerts and Lectures, 1962-81
  Approximately 200 concerts, with 500 works recorded
  
  
• Evenings for New Music, 1964-80
  Approximately 85 concerts, with 409 works recorded
  Online, searchable database of all Evenings for New Music programs.
  Online inventories of Evenings for New Music, 1964-1977 and Evenings for New Music, 1977-1980 available.
  
  
• Faculty Composer Composition Recitals, 1962-81
  Approximately 74 concerts, with 172 works recorded
  
  
• June in Buffalo, 1975-80
  Approximately 50 concerts, with 202 works recorded
  
  
• North American New Music Festival, 1983-1993
  100 concerts, with 481 works recorded
  
  
• Slee Lecture Recitals, 1957-76
  Approximately 75 lectures, with 275 accompanying works recorded