The Library will be closed on Sunday, March 31, 2024, in observance of Easter

See Uke at the Library!

Marc Horton, Acting Senior Librarian, Wilmington Branch Library,
Colorful collection of ukuleles

Go ahead, admit it: you’ve always wanted to learn how to play an instrument. Maybe you tried the piano when you were a kid, but it was too hard. Maybe you received a guitar for Christmas one year, but it just collected dust in your closet. Introducing the ukulele! This low-key instrument is a great "gateway" instrument to begin your journey with musical adventure. In recent years, libraries everywhere have begun expanding their collections to include non-traditional items for checkout by users, including everything from musical instruments to gardening tools. Here at the Los Angeles Public Library, you can check out electricity meters, wi-fi hotspots, and our LA Plays! toy kits, and soon you’ll be able to borrow a ukulele with your library card and take a beginners class at several locations.

The ukulele is a curious instrument with an interesting history and seems to drift into and out of popular culture every so often. The popular version of the "uke" story begins when it is introduced to the Hawaiian islands by Portuguese immigrants from the Madeira and Azores Islands. Indeed, uke celebrities like singer Israel “Iz” Kamakawiwo’ole and virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro further associated the instrument with its Hawaiian origins. These little instruments have once again come into popularity in recent years because of their affordability, their accessibility for new learners, especially children, their portability, and their laid-back, fun nature. Popular musicians like pop megastar Taylor Swift, rocker Eddie Vedder, teenage sensation Grace Vanderwaal, and hip new bands like Beirut have all proudly featured their ukes. In fact, ukulele culture is massive, especially online; YouTube features literally thousands of videos of tutorials and amateur uke enthusiasts offering versions of their favorite songs. With the vast amount of resources for the novice and the expert alike, it’s never been easier for the beginner to get started.

But why should we care about the arts, or music in particular? The short answer is that statistics have shown that access to music education has a positive effect on academic performance, graduation rates, and even self-esteem. According to a recent Gallup poll, 95% of Americans consider music to be part of “a well-rounded education.” This project began in 2016 as a pilot program with a small grant in an effort to help counteract the loss of music education programs at local schools; the Wilmington Branch Library became the first Los Angeles Public Library location to offer circulating instruments as well as a series of beginning youth classes. This spring, you’ll be able to borrow ukuleles with your library card and attend classes and workshops at 16 other locations throughout the library system. In keeping with the Los Angeles Public Library's mission to provide “free & easy access to information, ideas, books and technology that enrich, educate & empower” everyone in our communities, this program offers library users a chance to explore music education for free with their library cards. Look for beginners’ workshops and three-week classes happening at a library near you, taught by our panel of local uke experts, this spring! See Uke at the Library!


 

 

 

Top