GC Library begins monthly Ukulele Club

The Garland County Library, 1427 Malvern Ave., is starting a monthly program devoted to ukulele lovers of all skills.

The new Ukulele Club will be held on the second Monday of each month from 4-5:30 p.m. at the library.

“Public Services Specialist Jill Dryden was instrumental in beginning this club which was originally planned to begin in early 2020 but was canceled due to the pandemic,” a news release said.

“I am a 10-year, self-taught ukulele player who wants to offer our community a space to share our love and knowledge of this type of music, and in doing so I’ll get to learn more,” Dryden said in the release.

“I hope that we can attract players that are the whole spectrum from beginner to advanced.”

While the club is not intended to provide ukulele instruction, Dryden said she recognizes that by playing with others of different skill levels, a musician will naturally improve.

“A friend recently told me, ‘The best way to learn is by playing together with someone better than you, and ask them to teach you one thing you don’t know. Then go play with as many people as you can,’” she said.

The first meeting of the Ukulele Club will be held on Monday, March 13, at 4 p.m. at the library. The content of the club may vary between jam sessions and discussions of ukulele music.

“If we end up having a jam session like the Bluegrass Jammers, great! If we would rather discuss the different aspects and history of ukulele music through the past and present, that would be cool too. I hope everyone that participates will be open to that type of flexibility and let the direction of the club develop naturally over time,” Dryden said.

Although formal instruction is not available at Ukulele Club, the library does have several instructional books and DVDs available to borrow in-person or from the library’s website. Visit http:// www.catalog.gclibrary.com to browse the library’s collections.

Other music-oriented library programming includes Bluegrass Jam, a long-standing jam session hosted by the library on the first and third Thursday of every month from 4-5:45 p.m. Bluegrass Jam is open to players and enthusiasts of bluegrass music and instruments.

The “America’s Art Form” series from the Hot Springs Jazz Society is held in the library’s auditorium. The next concert will be held on Wednesday, April 12, at 6 p.m.

For more information about the library’s services and offerings, visit http:// www.gclibrary.com or call 501-623-4161.