See also: The Denver Public Library Is Now One of the Best Places to Find Local Music
"We've been spending a lot of time this last year kind of reintroducing the Denver Public Library to Denver, and that includes showing how much we have changed, not only in the last 125 years, but certainly in the last few years," says the DPL's Chris Henning. It was this thought that brought the celebrations together, by highlighting the library's existence and its ability to change, grow and adapt to evolving media sources. "There are a lot of things going on at the library that most people aren't familiar with, like Volume. Volume dovetails nicely with all of the online services that we offer: e-books, audio e-books -- all of those things that you don't even have to come to the library for."
Volume Denver offers a curated selection of albums and EPs from local artists covering a variety of genres. Just like many of the library's other online media services, users just need their library card to access the downloadable versions of music. Those just browsing can stream samples from songs without having to log in to the system. Since its launch, Henning says that Volume Denver has received quite a bit of traffic and that plenty of cardholders are utilizing the downloading capabilities of the site. He adds that although it is early on in the game, Facebook and Twitter have offered valuable insight into the public's interest in a place to discover and acquire local music.
"The local aspect was very important, not only to our staff and our customers, but since we do act as an information hub for so many things, it makes sense to curate the local scene more than anything," says Henning. "It really gives people an opportunity to go out and sample Denver artists without having to leave their home."
This week's Overdue celebration will be about the library's big birthday, but it will also bring this musical component to life by showcasing local artists Ian Cooke, Pure Fiction and Plat Maravich. Food trucks and local brews will also be served, and money from the ticket sales will go to the Denver Public Library and its programs. Henning notes that while this kind of social event -- one involving beer and bands, anyway -- is a little out of the library's usual programming, he hopes it will signal to visitors that the institution isn't just a quiet, stuffy joint for bookworms. Music lovers are welcome, too.
Overdue goes down this Thursday, September 11 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the McNichols Building, 144 West Colfax; tickets are $30 to $35 and can be purchased through the event's website. For more information, visit the Overdue Facebook event page.
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