Phone: 605-658-3363
Email: speccoll@usd.edu
Hours: The Reading Room is open Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Appointments are strongly encouraged and staff are available to meet with you either in-person or virtually, Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Holidays and other exceptions.
Location: Room 321, I.D. Weeks Library
Web: https://www.usd.edu/Academics/Libraries/ID-Weeks-Library/Archives-and-Special-Collections
Comprised of more than 4,800 books, periodicals, pamphlets, and ephemera, the Mahoney Music Collection is one of the most complete collections in the United States pertaining to the violin and violin family instruments. When combined with the Witten-Rawlins Collection of Early Italian Stringed Instruments at the National Music Museum, as well as other archival and book collections at the National Music Museum and the University Libraries, the Mahoney Music Collection establishes USD as the preeminent place to study the history of the violin. The collection not only provides a wealth of research and teaching opportunities for faculty and students, but also offers a chance for outside researchers to access a large range of rare materials in one location.
Many items within the Mahoney Music Collection are not searchable within the Library's catalog. Please send an email to speccoll@usd.edu to see a descriptive database of the entire Mahoney Collection or download a PDF of the inventory below.