News from the Mesa County Libraries 970West Studio
September 2019
970West Studio offers guitars
and other instruments for patron use
Photograph of guitars, amps, keyboard, and other musical instruments from 970West Studio
If you want to record a little music in the 970West Studio, you have access to a variety of fine instruments, thanks to a generous donation from the Dave and Mary Wood Foundation.

These instruments are available for eligible studio users to play during their scheduled reservations. The instruments are compatible with numerous musical genres.

The instrument lineup begins with three guitars : a Custom Gibson Les Paul guitar, a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, and a Martin acoustic/electric guitar. We also have an all tube Blackstar amplifier to accompany the guitars. 

For bass, the 970West Studio has an Ampeg amp and a Fender J-bass. A Roland electronic drum kit allows users to dial in numerous sounds at the turn of a dial. To round out the instruments, a Novation Launchpad alongside a Yamaha keyboard can be utilized in the Control Room. The Launchpad, drum kit, and keyboard all have MIDI connectivity as well for your music creation needs.

To use the instruments, simply request them on the online reservation form when you make your 970West Studio reservation. You can select the instruments you need from a list that will appear after you specify which room you want to use.

Now, go make some music!
Improve your skills with studio classes
in September
Grow your skills at the Mesa County Libraries 970West Studio!

Each month, you'll find a variety of classes available that can help you make the best use of the studio in your creative endeavors.

This month, we're offering studio orientations and S tudio Q&A, as well as classes on topics such as Introduction to Photoshop and Fundamentals of Videography.

Don't delay! Take a look at the full calendar of 970West Studio and technology classes offered by Mesa County Libraries, and sign up for classes that you're interested in. See you at the studio!
Tell us what you think!
Library and studio patron survey open
through this Friday, Sept. 13
You can help Mesa County Libraries -- and the 970West Studio -- chart the course ahead.

Your community libraries are looking toward the future, and we invite you to point the way by taking our 2019 survey .

Results of this survey will help us draft a new strategic plan and improve the services we offer. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete, and your responses are anonymous.

It doesn’t matter how often you use the library, or whether you use the library at all, we want to hear from you! If you use the 970West Studio, we want you to tell us about your experience!

The survey closes this Friday, Sept. 13, so please take the survey today.

You can find it here or at surveymonkey.com/r/2019MCL

Thank you for showing us the way!
Fused-glass artist is
new 970West Artist in Residence
Paula Marchionda, a fused-glass artist whose work explores different textures and colors of glass and their interplay with light, is the new Mesa County Libraries 970West Artist in Residence.

During her residency, which lasts through Dec. 2, 2019, Marchionda will host Open Studio Hours from 4-6 p.m. every Tuesday through Nov. 26 at the 970West Studio, 502 Ouray Ave. The public is invited to stop by, watch her work, and ask questions.

Marchionda said she draws inspiration for her glasswork from a variety of sources.

“My current work has grown from the sum of my life experiences,” she said. “I enjoy experiencing all sorts of different things – culturally, musically, culinarily, everything. My exposure to different cultures, through my travels and various life and work experiences, gives me a fertile foundation to create from. I use motifs and ideas from many different cultures in my work as well as borrowing images and themes from nature herself.”

Opportunities for artists: Culture Fest Art Show and 2020 Artist in Residence
Two amazing opportunities are open for artists at Mesa County Libraries.

We're accepting applications for three Artist in Residence opportunities in 2020, and we're also seeking entries for the annual Culture Fest juried art show.

Both offer artists a chance to share their creations with Mesa County Libraries visitors, and both offer potential financial reward. Successful Artists in Residence receive a $500 stipend from the Mesa County Libraries Foundation , and the Culture Fest Art Show offers honoraria of $400, $300, and $200 for the top three places, also courtesy of the library Foundation.