Ellis
A few years ago, I was looking for a new creative outlet. I was an avid podcast listener and started to wonder if there was anything I loved enough to talk about on a weekly basis.
I have a deep and abiding affection for pop culture — specifically movies — and I could easily fill an hour with conversation on some of my favorite flicks, so I started exploring what it takes to start a podcast. After browsing an endless number of educational YouTube videos and reading countless blogs, I decided to pull the trigger and buy a cheap microphone.
And so my little podcast, “A Bit of Fun with Emily,” began … along with the trouble of trying to record at home with the dryer in the background, cats walking across my work surface and a dog barking at the cats.
In 2019 the library opened The Studio — a makerspace designed specifically for our community’s creatives with the intention of providing space and resources for individuals looking to explore new art and making mediums through access to kits and equipment they might not have at home. It’s an area designed to allow you to “try before you buy.” How do you know if you’re going to love a Cricut or watercolors or sewing, if you’ve never tried them before?
In The Studio you can get hands-on experience before investing your hard-earned money, and we hope, that in the process of exploration, you find a new hobby that you will love. And maybe that’s podcasting or vlogging too!
Nestled in the makerspace we also created a recording studio equipped with professional lighting, microphones, mixing boards, cameras and computers. Way back in 2019 it was intentionally a bare bones space that would grow with our community as we came to better understand the interest and needs of those looking for a quiet area to record.
After years of listening and dreaming with users, this year, with the help of the Greenwood Library Foundation, we were able to transform the room into a destination spot for new and seasoned digital content creators who may also be frustrated, like I was, with the limitations of working from home with cats and kids and dryers making life difficult.
In our newly designed recording studio with beautiful sound dampening panels, warm and inviting furniture and elegant décor, you can record interviews and podcasts with up to four participants with our entry level mixer or use our camera and lighting to film a vlog in a decorated and cozy set. We’ve had users reserving the space to create educational video tutorials, cutting entire music albums, taking headshots, recording interviews, completing school projects and photographing products for their Etsy shop.
If you’re a curious potential podcaster like I was, the library offers Studio 101 tours of the space with introductions to the equipment and resources to learn more before you dive into your own creative venture. Make sure to keep an eye on our programming calendar for upcoming dates and times along with other class opportunities. We can’t wait to see how you’ll use the space!
The Recording Studio is available for reservation through the library’s website, over the phone, or during your next visit. Reservations are free with your Greenwood library card, but starting in 2024, non-cardholders will need to purchase a pass for use of the space.
Emily Ellis is the Assistant Director at Greenwood Public Library. GPL staff members share in writing this twice-monthly column for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
Emily Ellis is the Assistant Director at Greenwood Public Library. GPL staff members share in writing this twice-monthly column for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
