Ottawa Public Library launches Musical Instrument Lending Library Program for patrons
By Alana Thoman
The Ottawa Public Library has announced it will no longer be lending just books, CDs and DVDs after the high-profile launch of a program allowing patrons to check out musical instruments
The plan, unveiled with star power thanks to an appearance by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, makes Ottawa the sixth city to join Sun Life Financial’s growing, nationwide Musical Instrument Lending Library Program.
To mark Canada’s 150th birthday, Sun Life funded the establishment of the 150-instrument lending program that will see violins, banjos, guitars and more — along with instructional videos — made available for weeks at a time to anyone with a valid library card.
“We decided that as a part of a Canada 150 project for Sun Life, we were going to try and expand it to more cities across the country, and of course it just seemed natural to take that project to Canada’s capital,” said Paul Joliat, the company’s assistant vice-president for philanthropy and sponsorships.
Monique Brulé, division manager of programs and services at the OPL, said the library has always been intrigued by the idea of having a musical instrument lending library after seeing it come to life in places such as Toronto and Vancouver in 2016. However, she said there has always been the internal issue of funding.
Brulé said when Sun Life reached out with a donation of $140,000 to cover the operating costs, it set the OPL on the path of making the idea a reality. Brulé said the program is linked with the public library’s mandate of fostering literacies in all its forms.
“There are many studies that talk about and prove how musical literacy is linked to higher improvement scores in non-musical subjects,” said Brulé. “There are also studies that show that access to music making may improve the lives of older adults. So all of these studies combined with our mandate made it a logical next step for us.”
The launch took place at the library’s Main branch on Metcalfe Street, where McLachlan joined with Sun Life officials and Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson to announce the initiative and mingle with young musicians.
According to Joliat, McLachlan and Sun Life have worked together often. The company has a partnership with the Sarah McLachlan School of Music in Vancouver, and is a founding partner of her new school in Edmonton.
Joliat said McLachlan’s schools in Vancouver, Surrey and Edmonton provide free music lessons to students who are at risk or underserved, which is directly aligned with Sun Life’s Making the Arts More Accessible program, founded in 2004.
“This program strives to provide hundreds of thousands of Canadians with access to some of Canada’s best arts and culture programs and initiatives regardless of their financial means,” said Joliat.
The network of instrument lending libraries is an extension of this mandate, he added.
Joliat said his company has noticed how music is being taken out of schools across Canada due to budget cuts, limiting the vibrancy it brings to Canadian culture and communities.
“As a company we care really deeply about giving back to the communities in which we live and work,” said Joliat. “(We are) happy that this program is taking off with such success as soon as we launched it, and hopefully Ottawa will follow suit.”
Watson said the lending library is a great opportunity to interest people in music since because many want to learn an instrument but don’t have the money to buy one.
“We don’t want to lose a generation of young people who may become the next Sarah McLachlan, Alan Doyle or Jim Cuddy, so I think it is important that we encourage music in our city,” said Watson, referring to the front men of the Canadian bands Great Big Sea and Blue Rodeo.
Brulé said those who wish to rent out an instrument can place one on hold at the library’s website or can go to either the Main branch at 120 Metcalfe St. or the main Nepean branch at 101 Centrepointe Dr. to see what’s available.
Instruments will be available for a three-week loan, which is renewable three times, according to Brulé.
She noted that McLachlan herself donated a new, signed Yamaha acoustic guitar, which will be available for checkout once it has been processed.
The two library branches and Ottawa music store Long and McQuade, located at 1193 Hunt Club Road, are serving as drop-off depots for an instrument donation drive that runs until Dec 8.