A group of Summit County Library librarians have discovered a fun way to spread holiday cheer to senior citizens.
They sing, and they do it loudly, during sing-alongs, said Susan “Murph” Murphy, the Coalville Branch manager.
“They do not fit the quiet librarian stereotype,” she said. “They all actually have musical-theater backgrounds and are all awesome singers. So they really belt out the songs.”
The Summit County Singing Librarians’ next performance will be Thursday, Dec. 21, at the South Summit Senior Center in Kamas, according to Murphy, who plays piano for the group.
“The senior center serves lunch at noon, so we’ll probably start around 12:30 to give the seniors time to eat first,” she said.
South Summit Senior Center Chef Jair Ramirez prepares a special holiday meal for these performances, Murphy said.
“Senior citizens in the county who are aged 60 and older can register for the meal for a requested $3 donation,” she said.
They just need to call the South Summit Senior Center at 435-783-4311 ahead of time to RSVP, she said.
The musical program always includes Christmas carols and hymns, along with some audience participation, Murphy said.
“We have a song list that we plan ahead, because I have to practice ahead of time,” she said. “We pass out a bunch of sheet music, so all the seniors can join in the singing. We also have some jingle bells that we put out on the tables that add to the festive vibe.”
In addition to the singing, the Summit County Singing Librarians holds an open-mic section with the seniors, who share what gift they would like for the holidays, Murphy said.
“The answers are so terrific, and they range from wanting world peace to wanting a boyfriend,” she said. “So, there are a lot of laughs in addition to singing.”
The Summit County Singing Librarians first came together in 2021 to celebrate a real-life Christmas in July, Murphy said.
“We were all a little sad that the 2020 holiday gatherings had to be canceled due to COVID, so when the quarantine lifted that summer, we decided to do a redo of the holidays,” she said. “And in the 90-degree heat, we put on our Santa hats, visited senior centers and did these holiday sing-alongs.”
Since then, the group — Kimball Junction Branch Youth Services Librarian Kirsten Nilsson, Kamas Valley Library Branch Assistant Carissa Dudley, Kamas Valley Branch Teen Services and Social Media Librarian Ta’tiana Fa’avale, and Murphy’s husband, Dave Georger — have been performing December sing-alongs in Kamas and Coalville.
“Dave’s not really a librarian, but he loves to sing,” Murphy said.
Still, Murphy and the others didn’t think the group would continue performing together after their 2021 debut.
“We just knew we had a lot of fun, and I think the seniors had fun, too,” she said. “I do know there was probably some confusion as to why we were singing Christmas songs in the summer. But it was great to do.”
One of Murphy’s favorite Christmas songs to perform is “Do You Hear What I Hear?”
“Since the singers are so good, they do the whole echo thing in the song, and it’s really beautiful,” she said. “I also like to do the fun ones like ‘Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,’ which is a hoot as well.”
Murphy holds a special place in her heart for Christmas songs.
“We sang these songs growing up, and they help us reach back to those memories while creating a connection with each other,” she said. “My dad’s favorite song was ‘O Holy Night’ so that always brings a tear to my eye when I hear it.”
While the Summit County Signing Librarians are mostly known for their winter shows, the group has performed during other holiday seasons. “We do love-song sing-alongs for Valentine’s Day, and things like that,” Murphy said. “It’s just been a great way to get to know the seniors in the community, and the library is always looking for ways to partner with other Summit County departments. So this partnership with the county’s Senior Services has been awesome.”