For immediate release:
The Edmonton Public Library’s (EPL) digital local music collection and interactive tool for celebrating local music history has been named the 2016 recipient of the CLA/OCLC Award for Innovative Technology, opens a new window.
Capital City Records: Edmonton Local Music, opens a new window was developed to celebrate and promote Edmonton-made music, while also building an ongoing historical record of the city’s music scene. Anyone can stream the albums online and library cardholders can also download tracks.
“EPL is thrilled that this innovative project developed collaboratively with Edmonton’s local music community has been recognized by the Canadian Library Association,” said EPL Chief Executive Officer, Pilar Martinez. “EPL is committed to providing digital access to unique and important locally-developed content that celebrates our community and showcases the great talent in our city. ”
Albums by 46 musicians first became available for free streaming and download in August of 2015. By the end of the year, songs had been streamed 16,110 times by nearly 9,000 unique users.
Over 35 new albums will be added to the music collection on April 26, 2016.
Input from Edmonton’s music community helped shape Capital City Records, starting with the 2014 unconference YEG BandCamp. Along with curating music by means of a jury consisting of members of the local music community, EPL is telling stories about music history with over 250 local concert posters going back to the 1970s. The music collection, meanwhile, will grow by approximately 100 albums per year.
The CLA/OCLC Award for Innovative Technology will be presented on June 1, 2016 during the CLA 2016 National Forum in Ottawa, Ontario.
Capital City Records is the first digital public space that EPL has developed collaboratively with Edmonton’s music community. Work is currently underway to develop a similar space for Edmonton’s local writing community.
This continues EPL’s long-standing record for developing award-winning library innovations, including Outreach Services and Digital Literacy as a Core Service, which were both named ALA Presidential Citation for Innovative International Library Projects in 2015. In 2014, EPL was awarded the PLA Polaris Innovation in Technology John Illiff Award and ALA Cutting Edge Service Award for the ME Libraries initiative, and also received an honourable mention from the Urban Libraries Council for the Community-Led and Safe Communities initiatives. EPL was also the first Canadian library to be named Library of the Year by Library Journal magazine and Gale Cengage Learning in 2014. For a complete list of recent awards, visit epl.ca/awards, opens a new window.
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About the Edmonton Public Library
The Edmonton Public Library (EPL) is proud to be 2014 Library of the Year! We’ve come a long way since 1913 when books were all you could find on our shelves… and we’re just getting started! Today, EPL carries everything you care about. We are Edmonton’s largest lender of all manner of information and entertainment. Our professionally trained staff take you beyond Google with the knowledge, discernment and desire to help you navigate a universe of information. The second most visited place in Edmonton, every year EPL hosts over 14 million in-branch and online visits across our 20 branches and website. We deliver our incredible content to you everywhere – in the library, at home or on your handheld device. Unmatched access and unrivalled value – that is today’s EPL. EPL is a registered charity and relies on donations to enhance services. Spread the words. epl.ca/donate, opens a new window.
For more information, contact
Leigh MacKenzie
Marketing Communications Coordinator
Edmonton Public Library
780-442-5019
lmackenzie@epl.ca
