Through a partnership with Girls Rock of Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Public Library is expanding the types of items residents can borrow and classes they can take from the library. Through the collaboration, the library will circulate electric, acoustic and bass guitars, amps and ukuleles. The collection of 10 instruments will be available starting in early October.

Library patrons can also take beginning guitar classes. Two fall sessions of seven classes will be offered on Mondays starting Oct. 14. Lessons taught by Girls Rock instructor Jena Douglas will be held in the Central Library’s tech lab. Class will be at 4:30 p.m. for junior high school students, and 5:30 p.m. for high school students.

Enrollment, which is now open, is limited to eight participants in each session; attendance at all classes is required. Classes will wrap up with a concert for friends, family and the public at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 16, in the Faulkner Gallery. Another session of classes is planned for the spring.

Douglas has been a singer/songwriter for 30 years, has an AA in music from Santa Barbara City College and a BA in music from UCSB. She teaches voice, songwriting, guitar, piano, bass, drums and performance, and uses her skills as a musician and a parent to teach girls for the nonprofit Girls Rock.
 
The collaboration offers Girls Rock the opportunity to expand its reach in the community, and the library the chance to further diversity the programming it offers.

“From the very beginning of starting Girls Rock, I have imagined a musical instrument library,” said Jen Baron, executive director of Girls Rock Santa Barbara. “It is so exciting to be partnering with the Santa Barbara Public Library in this endeavor. Girls Rock remains committed to making access to music as equitable as possible for our community.”

“The library can offer its expertise by providing a way for students to borrow musical instruments, and Girls Rock can make classes available to the public at the library,” said library director Jessica Cadiente. “We’re excited to offer this new collection and new type of class to expand opportunities for education in our community.”

The Santa Barbara Public Library is dedicated to supporting education for all ages through classes and events, building a community of readers, empowering individuals with free access to information. Girls Rock’s vision is to provide a safe, diverse and inclusive space to youth.

For more, visit the Santa Barbara Public Library System, SBPLibrary.org. All library programs are free and open to the public.

— Molly Wetta for Santa Barbara Public Library.