Toledo Lucas County Public Library branches are neighborhood hubs fulfilling customers’ informational and entertainment needs. For Brandi Carter, the Sylvania Branch also serves as a professional studio for her music.

“I can safely say I’ve saved thousands of dollars doing this, between studio time and printing. It’s awesome,” Carter said. “I started coming here literally every day for weeks at a time.”

A Community Studio

Carter, 32, of Toledo, primarily performs rap and hip-hop music under the name Breezi StreetMuzik. Private studio time – at roughly $100 per hour, plus mastering fees – proved to be a luxury. So, she turned to the Library. Carter utilized the Sylvania Branch’s studio lab with microphone, computers, mixing consoles and editing software. She has recorded more than two dozen songs at the branch, drawing favorable coverage from digital music publications.

“You can sing. You can record instruments. You can make beats,” she said. “This whole program, there’s so much that you can do with it.”

Carter transfers songs to her laptop, where she creates CD’s to sell at shows. She further prints her own album booklets at the Library for 45 cents per copy, instead of $5 per CD elsewhere. Cutting distribution costs for hundreds of copies helped Carter pay expenses from her recent performances in Detroit and Tupelo, Mississippi. It also empowers her to focus on music.

Carter’s recording partner, David Knowles, 41, of Toledo, performs under the name D-Boi. Knowles has worked in music for more than 20 years, and said many private studios are much less accommodating. He was pleased to learn about the Library’s exceptional equipment. This studio is a creative outlet for all ages.

“When she first told me, I had to see it for myself,” Knowles said. “They put a full-fledged studio in the Library, and let you record for free.”

The Sound of Music

The Library’s studio technology is free for your use and easy to understand. There is also studio equipment at Main Library, King Road Branch, Mott Branch and West Toledo Branch. Best of all, it’s just one part of the Library’s vast offerings. Cricut machines and 3D printers buzz regularly with activity. We cannot wait to see what you create next.