Expanding its expansive list of services, the Deschutes Public Library now offers Listen Local, a library-hosted website that is dedicated to connecting the community to local musicians. This music site allows library cardholders to download music from local bands and musicians completely free of charge.
Deschutes Public Library created this free service to add to the many ways it is working to build community throughout Central Oregon.
"People have many options for discovering and enjoying music online," Collection Development Librarian Catherine Jasper noted in a press release. "We wanted to offer people a place to discover great local music and engage in the local music scene."
Currently offering 11 albums from different artists—including Moon Mountain Ramblers, Broken Down Guitars, and Wilderness—Listen Local is covering a wide swath of musialc tastes, with genres ranging from hip-hop and folk to Americana and rock.
The process for accessing this free music library is simple and straightforward. Listen Local can be found from any computer with an internet connection, at home or at the library (deschuteslibrary.org/localmusic). From there, listeners can click on an artist they're interested in, bringing up a page that offers more information on the band, a link to the artist's website, and a listing of the album's tracks. Each track can be previewed and then easily downloaded in MP3 format into iTunes. The process is uncomplicated and quick.
This is only the first stage of the program, and the library hopes to expand its music portfolio soon.
"As far as content goes, this is just the beginning," Jasper stated. "Every six months we hope to add another round of albums."
