New vinyl club at the Free Library of Philadelphia sees overwhelming numbers, unexpected attendance and interest

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It was a packed room at the music department of the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Vine Street Main Branch on the last Wednesday in June, as music lovers of all ages came together to celebrate their love of vinyl and the sound of a good record.

Every last Wednesday of the month, attendees gather together to share their love for vinyl around a themed listening session. June’s theme honored African American Music Appreciation Month, in recognition of Black Music Month. Guests are invited to bring records from their own collections or enjoy a librarian-curated journey through the library’s vinyl archive.

Jane Lippman, a librarian at the Vine Street branch, said the idea for the club came from seeing other successful programming at the library.

“We didn’t have that here in music, but I know music connects people,” Lippman said. “I was dipping my toes in the water to see if people were interested, and we’ve been blown away by the positive reception.”

The club currently runs from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., but Lippman said if interest continues to grow, they may extend the sessions to give more people time to share.

Viviana M, who requested that WHYY not use her full name, heard about the vinyl club through the Wooder Ice Instagram page and brought the vinyl copy of the “Beverly Hills Cop” soundtrack to the session. She shared the track “Stir It Up” by Philadelphia’s own Patti LaBelle — a song she first heard in her youth.

“I’m new to vinyl and vinyl collection, so I’m looking forward to meeting for the next few months and the different themes and seeing everyone’s input,” she said.

Raquel Davis heard about the club through the library’s Instagram page. While she missed the kickoff session in May, she made sure to attend in June. Davis brought “Perfect Angel” by Minnie Riperton and played the opening track, “Reasons”.

“The album holds special meaning for me because I found it right here in Philadelphia at a flea market,” she said. Davis was nervous to share her selection but was encouraged by the positive feedback, including one club member who told her that she’d changed their opinion of Riperton.

Corey Williams attended the first session after spotting a flier at the library. He brought his vinyl copy of “Sour Soul” by Ghostface Killah to share.

“I said I have to go because I’m just vinyl addicted,” he said.

Williams invited Juan Witmer, who brought along his father, Douglas, for the June meeting.

“I said we both like vinyl — why not? It sounded like fun,” Witmer said.

For more information or to join the email list, visit the Free Library’s website.