> I am amazed Bruce:  A music library with a large collection of music
> rolls and no means of playing them!  What do they do with them, roll
> them out like a magic carpet or more likely lock them away so no-one
> can damage them?  It's like having a book library where you are not
> allowed to read the books!

You'll find, I'm afraid, that most libraries are concerned over running
out of space than they are about anything else, and a reproducing piano
is a pretty large item.  There's also the issue of instrument
maintenance.

> We get back to the old controversy of donating materials to
> institutions.  My thoughts are -- _do not._  Better to put it
> on eBay so others with the incentive and money can enjoy owning
> it, rather than it being lost forever in some inaccessible vault.

I'm inclined to agree, and I imagine that many librarians and museum
curators would, too.

From a purely curatorial standpoint, I think it's important to preserve
the music from these rolls independently of the instruments themselves.

Mark Kinsler