Creatives lock in at Newport Beach Library sound lab, donations sought to upgrade into podcast friendly space
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The sound lab tucked just down the hall from the elevators on the first floor might be one of the only places in the Newport Beach Library where staff actually encourage patrons to make noise.
A computer loaded with editing software and a pair of microphones sat on a plain white table within the lab’s thickly padded walls Wednesday afternoon, along with two keyboards, a Fender Champ 12” guitar amplifier, sheet music stands and a handful of mismatched chairs taken from different parts of the library. The humble space was part of a major expansion to the public building in 2013, and has become one of its most popular amenities, Library Assistant Greg Johnson told the Daily Pilot.
The lab is open every day except holidays, and is typically booked solid at least a week in advance, Johnson said. He has spotted people dancing, singing, recording voice-overs or audiobooks and creating all kinds of music while peering through a square window in the lab’s heavy, soundproof door to occasionally check in while it’s in use.
Lately, a growing number of those reserving the space have been coming in with cameras, lights and stands to shoot podcasts. They include one who dives into Newport Beach history, and another who conducts guided meditation, Johnson said.
He and others who support making content creation more accessible want to update the sound lab into a podcast-friendly space. The Newport Beach Public Library Foundation is reaching out to the public in hope of raising $4,000 for the necessary equipment.
“This is basically us recognizing a need among our patrons and trying to grow with them to meet that,” Johnson said.
He has been talking to people who use the sound lab and other members of the community to find out what kind of gear might help them create better content. Some of the items that have been mentioned include a green-screen, cameras, lighting, additional microphones, a video switcher and more.
Johnson said libraries have always been a place where people can “lock in” and get productive, making the sound lab an ideal environment for podcasters. It’s also within arms reach of a near limitless collection of books, films, recordings and other resources to draw inspiration from.
In addition, library staff are on hand to help troubleshoot glitches or bounce ideas back and forth with content creators. They often get personally invested when they help patrons with their projects, Johnson said.
He said that can be bittersweet at times, and recalled noticing when one of their regulars stopped visiting.
“I thought of them and was like, ‘oh, I haven’t seen them; that means they must be done,’” Johnson said. “And I was happy for them because I know finishing a project is one of the best feelings in the world.”
The sound lab is just one of many multimedia resources available to patrons. Others include Canopy, a free video streaming service with over 30,000 titles, numerous digital databases as well as audio-visual equipment and even vintage gaming consoles available for library card-holders to borrow. These and much more will be featured for patrons to discover during Digital Saturday at the library on April 12.
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