Lending local tunes

With over 300 CDs by area artists, the Toronto Public Library’s new local music collection is bringing Toronto sounds to the masses

By Chris Dart
(Originally published in the Toronto Observer, Fall 2006)

It’s hard to imagine the likes of Ninja High School and Broken Social Scene sharing shelf-space with Jane Austen and Margaret Atwood, but that’s exactly what’s happening at the Toronto Public Library.

Canada’s largest library system opened a new local music collection on Nov. 2. The collection features approximately 300 CDs from Southern Ontario artists, ranging from classics like Blue Rodeo and Bruce Cockburn to cutting edge new acts like dance-punkers Republic of Safety and folk-rap hybrid Shad.

The CDs will be housed at 14 libraries around the city, but will be patrons will be able to order them from any of the Library’s 99 branches. The Toronto Reference Library will also have a copy of every album.

Youth collections librarian Lisa Higgum said the idea for the collection came as a result of a casual conversation with her supervisor.

“We were just chatting about the Toronto music scene, and I was just saying that it would be great if we could focus on that a little bit more,” she said. “She said, well ‘We could do a build-up project.’”

Showcase the breadth of TO's music scene

Once the idea was approved, Higgum went to College Street record store Soundscapes for help compiling the collection. She said one of her goals in creating the collection was to showcase the breadth of Toronto’s music scene.

“We wanted to make sure it was really diverse, I didn’t want to get a selection that was all indie rock,” she said. “We have a great selection of hip-hop, electronic, alt-country, there’s a range. It’s a very diverse city, so people have very diverse taste.””

Soundscapes’ Jeff Brown said he and his colleagues compiled the list based in part on their Canadian charts, as well as by looking at the Library’s current holdings and their collective sense of what Toronto artists were on the verge of success.

“It was kind of hard not to favour the bands that you like more,” he said.

Brown said being part of this project fits nicely with Soundscapes’ philosophy as a business.

“I think Soundscapes is really about bringing music to the people, he said. “Having the Canadian content in the library is an extension of that. I think it’s great a kid can walk into the library now and pick up a Rufus Wainwright CD, or something by the Sadies or Broken Social Scene.””

Higgum said that even in the age of MySpace and online file-sharing, there are still many people who would rather discover a new band by picking up the physical album.

“People are still really interested in picking up the actual product, with the liner notes and everything,” she said.

Concerts celebrate release of collection

To celebrate the release of the collection, two Toronto libraries hosted concerts featuring local musicians. The first concert took place on Nov. 2 at North York Central Library. The second happened Nov. 18 at Toronto Reference. Higgum said that while she thinks the concert series was a great way to launch the collection, it has confused some people.

“It is slightly unusual to have a concert in the library,” she said. “People think of libraries as quiet places. That’s why we’re having it after the libraries are closed, so we won’t disturb anyone.””

Ninja High School vocalist Matt Collins said that his band of dance-rockers received a warm welcome from the library staff.

“I think they responded positively,” he said. “Someone on [local online music forum] Stilepost said the librarians were dancing. ‘Grooving,’ I think was the word they used.””

He also said playing the library offered some unique acoustics.

“I loved the way it sounded,” he said. “It had this really solid flat sound.”

Higgum said that the 300 CDs currently in stock are just a starting point. She said money has already been dedicated to expanding the collection next year.