Library transforms stacks into concert venue to benefit foundation
The Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library in Virginia Beach will turn its book-lined interior into a music and food-focused fundraiser this fall, organizers said, swapping the customary quiet for live performance, vendors and a speakeasy-style bar.
“Read Between the Vibes,” billed as a fundraiser for the Virginia Beach Library Foundation, will showcase prominent Hampton Roads performers and local vendors. Tickets are being sold for $45 and include one drink; organizers say 15 percent of proceeds will benefit the foundation.
The event will assemble the music and hospitality elements in a cabaret-style layout, with tables and chairs placed before a stage and market-style aisles of vendors occupying the stacks. The bar menu is planned to draw on Black culinary traditions, and the program will include both musical performances and a reading by an author.
- Headliner: BJ Griffin, a Virginia Beach native noted for his electric cello and appearances on "America's Got Talent."
- Other performers: Roberta Lea, Michael Giamille and Akeylah Simone.
- Author appearance: Ashanté M. Reese, reading from and signing copies of "Gather: Black Food, Nourishment, and the Art of Togetherness."
Organizers said the event is intended to celebrate the library as a community space and as a place of personal significance for some performers. Griffin, who grew up near the central library, recalled walking there multiple times a week as a youth and discovering his first classical music recording among its collections.
“That particular library benefited me as a youth,” Griffin said. “They ended up charging me for it, because I kept it.”
Griffin is familiar on local stages, serving as a resident musician at The Historic Cavalier Hotel & Beach Club and performing alongside national acts. His participation in the library fundraiser highlights both his local roots and the event’s emphasis on regional talent.
Community impact and what to expect
Beyond the entertainment, organizers hope the evening will raise money and attention for library services. The Virginia Beach Library Foundation supports programs and resources that supplement city funding, including literacy initiatives, cultural events and technology access.
Attendees can expect an evening that blends elements of a small concert, a marketplace and a themed lounge. The mix of neo-soul, R&B, jazz and other genres on the bill is designed to appeal to a broad local audience while spotlighting Black artists from the region.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Venue | Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library, Virginia Beach |
| Ticket price | $45 (includes one drink) |
| Support | 15% of proceeds to Virginia Beach Library Foundation |
In addition to music, the night will feature local vendors selling goods in transformed aisles of the library. The speakeasy-themed bar will draw culinary inspiration from Black food traditions, complementing a program that also includes a reading and signing by Ashanté M. Reese, an anthropologist and author whose work explores food and community.
For Virginia Beach residents, the event presents an opportunity to support library programming while experiencing an unusual use of a public space. Libraries have increasingly hosted community gatherings and cultural events as part of efforts to broaden public engagement; this fundraiser follows that trend by highlighting local artists and small businesses.
Organizers recommend purchasing tickets in advance. Additional details, including the full schedule and any accessibility accommodations, are expected to be available through the library and event promoters as the date approaches.
This fundraiser reflects a push by local cultural groups to reimagine civic spaces and to raise private support for public services. For many in Virginia Beach, the library is not only a repository of books but a center for community life — and for one night, that center will be humming with live music rather than silence.
