Librarians aren't always the noise police. This Saturday, D.C. Public Library executive director Anna Velazco is encouraging bookworms and music nerds alike to "make noise for music and books."
The D.C. Public Library Foundation (DCPL) has teamed up with Gypsy Eyes Records, ESL Music, the Federal Reserve Collective and Proper Topper to host a benefit concert to raise money for the D.C. Public Library System this Friday at the 9:30 club. The event is aimed specifically at raising money for public libraries' youth programs, as well as developing excitement and awareness in the community about new projects and features of the D.C. library system.
The artists' lyric-driven songs highlight the connection between the two art forms, and Velazco says she hopes that the concert will help teens and other members of the D.C. community connect libraries with the fun and excitement of new media and innovation.
"Music is a great way for people to come together to help," Anna Fuhrman said.
The idea for the benefit concert was born when the owners of Proper Topper, Fuhrman and Joe Kerr, a gift boutique in Georgetown, decided to raise money to help the Georgetown Library recover from a fire that destroyed much of the building in April. Fuhrman and Kerr were frequent visitors to the branch before the fire and thought that creating a CD of local music and a T-shirt to sell would be a way to give back to the city's library system.
"Even just wearing the T-shirt seemed to be something that would get everyone [in the community] involved in helping," Fuhrman said. "I think there is a natural tie-in [between literature and music], and I'm excited that we're attempting to draw on that."
The benefit CDs, which feature 10 tracks from the artists performing at the concert as well as a few other artists, will be sold at the concert. Gypsy Eyes Records organized the event at the 9:30 club, allowing its artists from all over D.C. to show their interest in the DCPL's projects.
"Libraries are re-inventing themselves across the country," Velazco said.
The D.C. public libraries are in the process of acquiring many exciting new technologies, including access to the Rosetta Stone language program online, downloadable music and movie collections and downloadable audio books and e-books. Every branch of the public library is wireless, and more collections of books and subscriptions are being added to the large amount already available online, Velazco said.
The DCPL also hones more creative ways to raise the money needed to keep the D.C. libraries updated and fresh. In addition to the benefit concert, the DCPL has paired with Whole Foods: For three Thursdays in October, select Whole Foods stores in the District will donate five percent of their entire day's profits to enhance the children's rooms in five different D.C. libraries.
"We want people to start re-discovering libraries," Velazco said. "[A library] is one institution that you use for a lifetime... We want people to think about libraries that way."
Performances will include Federico Aubele, Child Ballads, Revival, Vandaveer, John Bustine, Rose, Kitty Hawk, These United States, DJs Yellow Fever and ESL Music DJs Will Griffin & Stone starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20, and all of the proceeds will go to the DCPL Foundation.
