We Make Music Instrument Libraries

We Make Music Instrument Libraries 

We Make Music Instrument Libraries is a campaign initiative to get musical instruments into public libraries, so people will be able to borrow them for free, just like taking out a book! 

We ran a successful Crowdfunding Campaign in 2022 to kickstart the first instrument libraries in Fife, North Ayrshire and Edinburgh. The project was so successful that it has now spread to over 10 local authorities and 30 community libraries around Scotland, with more joining every month. Thousands of people have borrowed instruments and these libraries are introducing a whole package of music lessons, workshops, live gigs and events into their buildings, bringing crowds of new people into libraries and supporting music and educational opportunities for communities across Scotland.

We are relaunching this Crowdfunding campaign in 2024 to spread the initiative further afield across Scotland and other areas of the UK and Ireland. This will run alongside a 'Live in Libraries Tour' with Scotland's flagship Tinderbox Orchestra, who will be linking up with local acts for performances in libraries. 

The campaign includes a nationwide call-out for donations and second-hand instruments to help launch new instrument libraries across these countries and along the tour trail.

How to Support

You can contribute in 2 ways:

1 - Donate some money or sponsor an instrument here on Crowdfunder.  Any contribution is hugely appreciated - have a look at our rewards page for more info.

2 - Donate a musical instrument - if you have a musical instrument lying around that you'd like to donate to the libraries, we would love to hear from you! Please contact [email protected].

Libraries, Music Projects & Community Groups - If you would like to link-up with any of the existing libraries or start a new one in your local area, we'd love to hear from you too! Please contact [email protected].

Tinderbox Orchestra Live in Libraries Tour - If you would be interested in having the Tinderbox Orchestra visit your library as part of their tour, we would also love to hear from you! Please contact [email protected]

How the Instrument Libraries Started

The project started when a local youth music project run by Tinderbox Collective teamed up with Muirhouse Library in North Edinburgh, to enable children and families to borrow instruments during the summer holiday. It worked so well the idea got picked up by other library services and local music organisations, who formed a growing Scotland-wide collective, convened by the Music Education Partnership Group and We Make Music Scotland. Their initial crowdfunding campaign in 2022 raised more than £5000 and gathered donations of hundreds of second-hand instruments. These were serviced to a good standard and placed in libraries across the country, giving thousands of people the opportunity to try out saxophones, guitars, ukuleles, trumpets and all sorts of other instruments.

What will the instrument libraries do:

Instrument Libraries will stock a wide variety of instruments from guitars, keyboards and ukuleles, to violins, trombones and orchestral instruments, as well as music software and midi keyboards so people can make music on library computers. Each library is paired with a local music project or the local authority’s instrumental music service, and all of the libraries are keen to build links with other music groups, schools, community projects and venues.  

We want to fill these libraries with as many musical instruments and learning resources as we can.  All money will go towards buying, repairing and servicing donated instruments and getting them into the libraries in good condition. We also want to buy music software and midi keyboards for making music on library computers. Once the instruments are in the libraries, we offer music workshops and introductory lessons, develop online resources, and organise live music events in and around the libraries. The more money we raise and the more instruments people donate, the more music libraries we can open up around the UK and Ireland. 

Tinderbox Orchestra "Live in Libraries" Tour

Bringing together rappers and singers with heavy brass, strings, woodwind and a thundering backline, Tinderbox have transformed preconceptions of what an orchestra can be.  Funded by PRS Foundation’s Beyond Borders programme, they are touring their 5-star show and 20-piece band to libraries across the UK & Ireland, linking up and collaborating with local acts to spread the We Make Music Instrument Libraries initiative. They will perform at libraries in Northern England and Scotland for the first leg of the tour, with more dates to be announced soon:

Friday 21st June, Mitchell Library, Glasgow

Thursday 4th July, Leeds Central Library, Leeds

Saturday 6th July, Henry Watson Music Library, Manchester

8th-10th, 15th- 17th, 22nd- 24th August, Edinburgh Central Library (Fringe Festival), Edinburgh

More info here

Our Team

The people involved in organising the project come from a mix of local authority library services, community music groups, schools and music education projects. We are keen for more libraries to join too.  

• Music Education Partnership Group / We Make Music Scotland - advocating for accessible and high-quality music education in all its forms across Scotland.
• Tinderbox Collective - community of young people, musicians, artists and youth-workers.
• Local Authority Library and Music Services in: Fife, North Ayrshire, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Scottish Borders, Dumfries & Galloway, Aberdeenshire, Falkirk, West Lothian, Dundee, Tayside, Angus, Leeds, Manchester.
• Music & Youth Organisations: Tinderbox Collective, St Andrews Music Participation Group (StAMP), Make Music Tayside, Tutti Music, Music Broth.

Rewards

Unfortunately as this is a relaunch of an existing crowdfunding campaign our 'Rewards' have expired and we are unable to update them. However, any donation made will recieve a free download of a Tinderbox Orchestra track. Thank you so much for your support! :)