The original article published in Japanese ( https://current.ndl.go.jp/e2806 ).

Current Awareness-E No.505

July 17, 2025

“Live Music Signals Closing Time!”: the Library as a Space for Students’ Expression

 

The Ueno Library of the Tokyo University of the Arts hosts an event titled “Live Music Signals Closing Time!,” in which students perform a piece of their choice during the final five minutes before the library closes.

The performances take place in Building B (completed in 2018), one of the two buildings of the Ueno Library. The first floor houses the Learning Commons, while the second and third floors contain stacks. Performing in the central open stairwell allows the music to resonate throughout the building. The event started in February 2022, and as of June 2025, 58 groups comprising 139 students have performed. We take pride in this unique initiative—performing within a library space that is normally expected to be quiet—an experience not found elsewhere.

For background of the event, please refer to the interview article published on the website of the Japan Association of National University Libraries. While this event has gained recognition both on and off campus, the key factor in making it happen remains the participation of students (the performers). Therefore, this article focuses on promotional efforts to raise awareness of the event and encourage students’ participation.

●Planning and Operations

The event is held on weekdays during the University’s spring and summer breaks, when the library closes at 5 p.m. One group (1–6 people) performs per day from 4:50 p.m. for five minutes. The choice of pieces is up to the performers. Performers are recruited within the University, and the requirements are:
・Being a student, staff member, or affiliated high school student of the University.
・Being able to leave and clear the space within ten minutes after the performance.
・Considering the acoustics of Building B when selecting and performing the piece of music.
Rehearsals before opening hours are also allowed.

The performance time was scheduled just before closing to avoid disturbing students engaged in study, research, or composition. The five-minute duration was set to encourage easy participation.

●Promotion

Promotion for the event is carried out in the following stages:

• Call for Performers
  

  Recruitment announcements start about one month before the beginning of each period. Since the event is held during a period without classes, we try to ensure that students have enough time to arrange their trips home and gather friends to perform with.

  Recruitment is advertised via posters inside the library and posts on social media (X, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr) with poster images. On X—where posts tend to spread most widely—we make a point of issuing several reminders, using quote reposts and other features. Performance dates are on a first-come, first-served basis. When slots are filled, we announce them each time via X posts and Facebook comments to avoid scheduling conflicts.

  Fortunately, there has never been a case of “no applications.” There have been times when only a few students applied, but in those cases, the library staff reached out to students they were familiar.

• Event Announcement
  

  Once performers and dates are confirmed, we promote the event on social media platforms and through in-house notices one week before the first day. On X, which has high reach, performers themselves sometimes promote the event to their own networks after we post. Therefore, we introduce each performing group with one post. Additionally, 2-3 days before the event, we repost with a poster image featuring all performers, also serving as a reminder.

• Performance Day
  

  We post “Today’s Performers” on X and Instagram Stories during the morning. If the music piece is public-domain, videos may be recorded with performers’ permission. For photos taken during the performance and commemorative photos after the performance, we confirm on the spot if sharing them on social media is acceptable. We then post a “Performance Ended” update with photos (sometimes without showing faces of the performers) to X and Facebook on the same day.

• Video Release
  

  If a video is recorded, the library staff edit it minimally (e.g. trimming unnecessary parts before and after the performance) and email the performers to confirm permission for sharing. Upon receiving permission to publish, we post the video on Facebook and Tumblr and share the URL on X. Note that even for classical works, copyright clearance is required when publishing videos if an arranger exists.

• Takeaways
  

  While no issues have arisen from our social media activities so far, we believe frequent posting and careful verification of copyright and portrait rights are crucial points to strongly consider when implementing the event. In the case of “Live Music Signals Closing Time!,” we not only promote the event and recruit performers, but also share highlights and videos from the day, creating a cycle of outreach that raises awareness and encourages future participation.

●Toward a Library as an Attractive “Performance Space”

The librarians in charge of the event believe a library should not only be a place for learning input but also a space for output, and “Live Music Signals Closing Time!” marked the first student-collaborative initiative at the library. Although student collaboration has long been a library topic, actively involving students requires time and engagement both from staff and students. This event provides a space for students to perform, which differs slightly from typical “collaboration.” But it creates a win-win situation for both students and the library and can serve as an effective starting point for collaboration. By making a library a more attractive “performance space,” the relationship between students and the library becomes closer, potentially drawing more student-initiated programs. Such reciprocal cooperation could further energize the library.

Nishiyama Tomoyo, Tatsuzawa Chizuho
Tokyo University of the Arts. University Library

Translated by
Research and Information Section,
Library Support Division,
Kansai-kan of the National Diet Library

*References are not translated and remain in Japanese.

Ref:
“藝大附属図書館 退館のお知らせは藝大生による生演奏! 東京藝術大学附属図書館特集”. YouTube. 2025-03-07.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smexhCbrN1c
“東京藝術大学「退館のお知らせは生演奏！」”. 国立大学図書館協会.
https://www.janul.jp/ja/projects/ga/interview/geidai
“@geidailib”. X.
https://x.com/geidailib