“Music is the universal language of mankind.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Have you ever wanted to be in a band? The first step is probably to learn to play an instrument. Instruments can be expensive, though, and you might change your mind after trying one out. If you want to try your hand at creating music, don’t worry – the library’s got you covered.

Dabble Box Makerspace staff have spent the last few years curating a variety of instruments for customers to check out. Each instrument comes in a kit with all the necessary accessories (straps, picks, tuners, power cords, etc.) and a few thoughtfully selected books for beginners.

Here are the instruments currently offered at the Eau Claire library:

Banjo

Most commonly used for folk and bluegrass music, banjos have also been included in several modern pop and rock hits.

Keyboard

Pianos are one of the most versatile and well-known instruments in modern music. This electronic keyboard has 76 keys and 489 instrument voices.

Kalimba

Also known as a thumb piano, the kalimba produces a pure, tranquil sound. Ours have 17 keys.

Ukulele

Commonly thought of as a Hawaiian instrument (though they actually originated in Portugal), ukuleles have a bright, happy, tropical sound. Plus, they’re adorable.

Theremin

The theremin is a funky electronic instrument that produces an eerie sound. Maybe the weirdest thing about it? You play a theremin without actually touching it.

Boomwackers

These aren’t really a traditional instrument, but they are a wonderfully fun way to learn to create music as a group.

Instruments aren’t the only music-related offerings at the public library. Check out these other resources for music lovers:

Sheet Music

Most of our sheet music is for piano or guitar, but we also have a handful of books for instruments like violin, cello, and flute.

Bosebuild Speaker

Learn how to build a Bluetooth speaker with this kit and stream some music with…

Sawdust City Sounds

An online platform where you can stream new local music. And if you do end up creating an album, we encourage you to submit it for consideration!

Music CDs

As of writing this post, the Eau Claire library has 4,187 music CDs in our collection. If each disc holds about an hour of music, that’s 175 days of non-stop tunes.

Record Player and Converter

Do you have some old (or new, vinyl is making a comeback) records you’d like to listen to or convert to digital files? Check out this new addition to our Library of Things.

Questions? Suggestions? Give Reference and Information staff a call at 715-839-5004, email us at reference@eauclaire.lib.wi.us, or share your thoughts in the comments below.