Sometimes you visit the library because you know exactly what you want…and sometimes it’s more fun to explore. Welcome to Library Side Quest, where we invite you to wander a little off the main path and discover something you might not have tried before. Learn a new skill. Research an ancestor. Watch an obscure documentary. Borrow something unexpected from the Library of Things. For this side quest, we’re turning up the volume.
Side Quest #1: Find Something New to Listen To
When was the last time you listened to an album you knew absolutely nothing about?
The ORL’s music collection is a great place to start exploring. Search the catalogue for an old favourite, browse our newest music CDs, or take a chance on something completely unfamiliar. Pick an artist you’ve never heard of. Explore a genre you normally skip. Choose an album based entirely on its cover.
There are no wrong ways to complete this side quest. The challenge is simply to find something you haven’t heard before and give it a listen.
Side Quest #2: Go Down a Musical Rabbit Hole with Naxos
Ready to explore a little further? Your ORL library card gives you access to Naxos Music Library, an online collection that makes it remarkably easy to disappear down a musical rabbit hole.
Naxos offers an enormous collection of streaming music, with a particular strength in classical music alongside jazz, world music, folk, blues, pop and rock, and other genres. You can search for a particular composer, performer, work, or album, or simply start exploring.
Try listening to a composer you know only by name. Compare different performances of the same piece. Explore music from another part of the world. Put on something completely outside your usual listening habits and see what happens. You don’t have to know anything about classical music to start exploring. Curiosity is enough.
Side Quest #3: Make Some Noise
You’ve borrowed some music. You’ve streamed some music. Ready for the bonus level? Try making some music of your own.
The Audio Recording Studio at the Kelowna Downtown Library Makerspace gives you a space to explore recording and audio production. Record music or vocals, experiment with sound, work on a podcast, or simply learn what happens behind the microphone.
You don’t need to be a professional musician or audio engineer. Part of the fun is trying something you haven’t done before, learning how it works, and seeing where the experiment takes you.
Explore the Audio Recording Studio
Side Quest Complete?
Maybe you discover a new favourite artist. Maybe you learn that experimental jazz really isn’t your thing. Maybe you find yourself comparing three recordings of the same symphony. Maybe you end up behind a microphone recording something of your own. They all count. That’s the point of a library side quest. You don’t need to become an expert. You just need to go somewhere you weren’t planning to go.
And when you’re ready for another adventure, there’s always something else to explore at the ORL. Try a sewing machine. Research your family history. Learn ten words in another language. Borrow a birding kit and find out who has been making all that noise in your backyard. Your next library side quest is waiting!
Need More Help?
Call us at 1-844-649-8127 or email help@orl.bc.ca. Please include as many details as you can about your question, account, or device. This helps us support you more quickly and accurately.
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