THE DAILY GRIST…“Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve, and contribute to improving the quality of life. Libraries change lives for the better.” – Sidney Sheldon
Schools are back in session, so I’m dedicating this column to informing you about a stellar program happening here in San Diego County. I wish more areas in California would do this type of community outreach. Read on…
Here’s some facts for you to ponder. San Diego County is 4,526 square miles and it supports over 40 city and county libraries. Our county population is 3.1 million and San Diego is California’s second largest city. With those facts in mind, I’d like to tell you that for the past five years the San Diego Bluegrass Society (SDBS) has worked with the San Diego County Libraries and City Library systems to host bluegrass concerts at various libraries countywide. These performances are free, open to the public, and have been a successful collaboration for all. And recently, the San Diego Library System presented SDBS with a Recognition Award for our part in providing these concerts to their library patrons. Congrats to all who make this happen!
Here is a quick rundown of how it works… Local bands, who are members in good standing with SDBS, are chosen to perform at a library branch. The library and SDBS both contribute funds so the bands can receive a small stipend for their participation. Ross Moore is our liaison between SDBS and the libraries, and heads up most of these concerts. He is formerly from Kentucky, so he knows his bluegrass. Through his hard work the program came to fruition when the bluegrass concerts became part of the library’s countywide Acoustic Showcase series. He’s also at every concert to run the sound, and is a formidable MC to boot. With about one concert every month and given the size of our county, that’s some great volunteer dedication on his part.
The audience size does vary from a couple dozen listeners to over 100+ fans in some locations. Local bands may find themselves playing within the library itself, or out on their common patio, or even in a dedicated performance room the library may have available.
The Virtual Strangers, a local band that I know, has played in all of these library situations, to crowds large and small, but no matter the library location or number of fans, the audience is always delighted with the music performed and happy we came to play.
Interestingly, the San Diego County Libraries mission statement is, “to inform, educate, inspire and entertain.” This aptly dovetails into the SDBS purpose of outreach and furthering bluegrass music exposure to others. The county libraries are quite popular and have recorded over 5.7 million visits over the last five years. And, as with most libraries, the patrons are a broad cross-section of our population – young & old, people from all heritages and languages and educational backgrounds. It’s a real mixed bag.
Just think about that for a moment. Where can a bluegrass band play to that broad a demographic spectrum of potential bluegrass fans other than playing on a busy street corner in a big city? Those opportunities are rare. So, SDBS looks at these library concerts as a golden opportunity to reach out far beyond our local faithfuls. We’re utilizing these ongoing concerts to play for others countywide at least once a month right here in the southland. We are helping the San Diego libraries fulfill their goal “to inform, educate, inspire and entertain.” Class dismissed.
