Making music just got easier
Vancouver Library launches free instrument lending program
Starting today, dozens of musical instruments, including guitars, ukuleles, banjos, keyboards, xylophones and drums, will be available free to anyone with a library card as the Vancouver Public Library launches an innovative new lending program. The launch, fittingly, will be a musical event jam packed with talent, including Jacob Hoggard of Hedley, Mother Mother, Ryan & Molly Guldemond, as well as students from the Sarah McLachlan School of Music.
The program was the brainchild of Vancouver’s own Shaw Saltzberg of NextStage Entertainment, who, after a career repping global stars such as Diana Krall, Michael Bublé, Elvis Costello and McLachlan, started thinking about how he could bring his love of music to the wider community.
“I wanted to focus on things that would have a real social impact,” he said.
Saltzberg, who had served on the board of the Sarah McLachlan School of Music, had learned that many local public schools have instruments locked away as funding for music and band programs dwindles.
Saltzberg approached the VPL’s head librarian, Sandra Singh, who embraced the idea enthusiastically.
“Libraries are about knowledge, information and cultural exchange in many formats,” said Singh. “Our role is to make sure everyone in the community has equal access to knowledge, information and culture. (Libraries) have always been a catalyst for creative innovation.”
Sun Life Financial, whose philanthropic arm is committed to making the arts accessible to the community, jumped on board with $130,000 in funding, as well as a donation of the first 100 musical instruments. Long & McQuade joined in as a partner to maintain and refurbish the instruments.
The program launched in Toronto in April, and Saltzberg is planning to expand to other communities across Canada.
“The demand for this is massive, possibly unlimited,” said Saltzberg. “The goal, ultimately, is to have these music lending libraries available in every province.”
At the Toronto library, said Saltzberg, there was a lot of concern about finding enough storage space for the instruments. “I said, ‘Don’t worry about storage’,” recalls Saltzberg, “’They’re all go- ing to be gone.’” Indeed, within a week of the launch, there were no instruments left to borrow from the Toronto library.
Hedley vocalist Jacob Hoggard will be on hand today to launch the program. Public access to musical instruments has a special meaning to Hoggard, who grew up in Surrey and Abbotsford. He said that as a kid he relied on the public library for creative fuel — CDs, movies, books on tape. His first guitar was “literally a borrowed instrument” — from his sister. “I took it from her, and learned how to play, then saved up and bought my first electric guitar.
“When you pick up a musical instrument and you learn something new, your creative energy is that of an early romantic relationship — unpredictable, impulsive, where you are full of excitement and inspiration. Those first few moments of love where you fee l that anything is possible.”
The Vancouver Public Library is hoping to expand their instrument offerings by inviting the public to donate new or “gently used” instruments at any VPL branch or Long & McQuade store. There are plans to eventually expand to include brass and woodwinds so all instruments are welcomed.
When you pick up a musical instrument and you learn something new, your creative energy is that of an early romantic relationship — where you are full of excitement and inspiration.