When the indie rock band Low Phase took the stage at
Kent District Library’s first Vibes Fest in 2023, they were one of dozens of local groups hoping to build an audience. Months later, a Michigan journalist singled them out as “a band to watch.”
It was a moment of validation for the KDL staff. Their experiment in giving local musicians a bigger stage was working.
“We’re trying to highlight the talent, and we make it accessible,” says Leigh Verburg, branch librarian at KDL’s Cascade Township branch. “We give each band that we sign on to Vibes $250 and then market it throughout the year. And then the Vibes Fest is really to highlight it as a total and get people in the door, because we know that music and food bring people together.”
Low Phase is one of 115 artists whose work is now featured on KDL Vibes, the library’s homegrown streaming service.
Each fall, the library licenses music from roughly two dozen new acts, paying them directly and adding their songs to a growing digital catalog. The collection, powered by the MUSICat platform, offers a mix of genres that reflects the breadth of West Michigan’s music scene — from jazz and blues to punk, folk, and hip-hop.
Showcasing diverse local music
“KDL Vibes offers independent artists a unique platform outside of the traditional streaming services,” says Adam Marth, a branch librarian at KDL’s Wyoming branch. “Today, it’s fairly easy to get music onto Spotify, Apple Music, or Tidal — but with so much content out there, and with the expectation on musicians to also act as marketers and content creators, it can be difficult for indie artists to truly stand out. Having Vibes as a one-stop shop where listeners can discover and celebrate the music being created right here in West Michigan helps cut through some of that noise.”
Marth says artists often tell the library that inclusion helps them reach new audiences — especially patrons who might not otherwise discover their work.
Each year, KDL relies on a mix of staff reviewers and outside jurors to select the new artists.
“We want our collection to mirror the variety of music coming from our community,” Marth says. “We seek help from community curators who know the local music scene well and connect with different aspects of it. … The jury looks at the quality of the recording, the quality of the performance, and also keeps an eye on genre balance, since we want to reflect the wide range of music in West Michigan.”
This year’s panel includes returning jurors Nicole LaRae, Della Marie Levi, and Audrey Pearson.
“The highest-rated tracks are then passed to our core Vibes team of three staff members for final review and selection,” Marth says. “It’s always competitive, but the goal is to showcase both the strength and the diversity of local music in the collection.”
Faye Harbison, who helps coordinate the program, adds: “We’re lucky to have community curators and staff reviewers with a wide range of music tastes and experiences in the West Michigan music scene. There’s always someone who can listen deeply and has a sense for what to listen for.”
Patrons treated to live music
The streaming platform is only one way KDL is helping musicians find new listeners.
“The Reference Desk Mini Concerts, as well as KDL Vibes Fest led by a team at the Cascade branch, have been huge in bringing free concerts in a unique way directly to our patrons,” Marth says. “We try to promote the collection as actively as we can on social media, and highlight things like our staff-made playlists and spotlight interviews with local artists.”
Harbison says the timing of these concerts helps maximize exposure.
“Vibes Fest and Reference Desk Mini Concerts are great for this purpose, as the events happen when branches are open and inevitably attract patrons.”
The Cascade branch will host this year’s Vibes Fest on Sept. 13. The free festival includes a classic car show, food trucks, family activities, and performances from 11 bands and soloists in the collection. Artists will perform on an outdoor stage and do acoustic sets in the library.
The Reference Desk Mini Concerts is a library spin on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts. Artists perform in a library near a service point, and seating is set up for listeners. The series has presented 27 concerts since it started in 2022.
Licensing local music is at the heart of KDL Vibes, Marth says, but in addition to Vibes Fest and the branch mini concerts, the library has added other supports. The library also produces a social media series called “What’s in My Bag,” where artists share their favorite finds and inspirations, tying their stories back to library resources.
“Unlike many streaming services, Vibes ensures that local artists actually get paid for their work,” Marth says.
Marth says the library’s goal is to make Vibes a permanent fixture in West Michigan’s cultural life.
“Long-term, we want KDL Vibes to be a lasting archive and celebration of West Michigan’s music,” he says.
Verburg has already seen how the program broadens the library’s reach. She recalls one visually impaired patron who had long relied on audiobooks but never felt the library offered a place for him socially. After attending the first Vibes Fest, he told staff: “This feels like it’s for me.”
Instruments, gear for loan
KDL is also finding new ways to break down barriers to music education. By circulating musical instruments and equipment, the library gives people the chance to explore music without the financial commitment of buying gear.
The effort reflects the library’s broader mission to create access to new skills and lifelong learning opportunities.
“Circulating instruments allows patrons to try music in a low-cost, low-risk way,” says Marie Mulder, collection development librarian at KDL. “It’s about helping people discover new interests and grow at any age.”
The collection has grown to include more than 1,500 vinyl records, turntables, ukuleles, and even silent disco kits. Together, these items were checked out more than 2,700 times in the past year by over 500 unique patrons.
By making instruments and equipment part of its “beyond books” offerings, KDL is providing a practical solution for residents who want to learn or enjoy music but may not have the means to invest in it.
“We are more than books,” Verburg says. “We’re here for everyone, whether they just need a place to hang their hat or a place to listen to music.”
Literacy Matters is a series focused on the importance of knowledge, community resources seeking to remove barriers to access, and the value of our library systems to society. Literacy Matters is supported by Kent District Library.