Forgotten Orchestra - reflections from my visit to Ostend by Iwona Preis

The Ostend City Library has always been working with barrier breaking initiatives, like introducing courses in digital literacy, working with elderly population and migrants as target groups. For the library to be seen as a big tent with a warm heart has always been a vision for Martine Vandermaes, the chef librarian and entrepreneur. “It is all about inclusivity”, she repeats as her professional mantra

Naturally, when the idea of developing a tangible project for people with early stage dementia was presented by the cultural department of the city of Ostend, Martine jumped at the opportunity. 

So, what was the anticipated change? This specific target group is unusual for a library with literary focus, and the objective was to establish a new methodology - based on the needs of the sick people and their families – and engage Hilde de Brand as a change maker. Hilde then prepared the entire process, and it all started with a one week event with the Polish team of River//Cities. Following, the library staff, a group of people with dementia and their families were all invited. All groups were encouraged to utilize the library; for example by bringing back memories from a mother or father by reading nostalgic books or listen to music from their youth. Especially music awakens the mind; music we listen to as children, dance to when we’re young, music that follows us through life. 

Like remembering the forgotten orchestra. 

The library of Ostend is in possession of a huge vinyl collection stored in the cellar among old books. The vinyls from this collection contain once loved melodies, once played on old gramophones. The stories have been told by the group of project participants, and talked about during their meetings with Hilde, Martine, Mathias, Goedroen, Jasmijn; engaging both parts equally on an informal learning level and a human level.

Bart Simoens (© photo), son of an elderly couple living at a care home, sees the emotional reaction in the brain of his mother and father when the three of them play accordion and sing together. They do this every time they meet; they can’t speak to each other as dementia has clouded Bart’s parents’ minds – but they play music together and it connects them. He never thought it was possible.

Miracles happens thanks to the music stored in the cellar of the library, and thanks to open minded people who see a possibility to use it in a change making and very human way. 

Of course behind the story there is a very well structured and professional process of informal learning amongst the staff of the library; engaged in preparing the various steps of the project. There is also involvement of experts on dementia evaluating the process. The plan is to disseminate the methodology to stakeholders in the region, so as to encourage others to use it - not only with this target group, but others as well, for example migrants. There is the difficult task of convincing local politicians that the library should remain open and accessible for everyone. Cuts in the cultural budgets will result in the exclusion of marginalised groups. For these groups, attending the library means to be included; it can be gateway into local society. 

The project proves that it is possible to diminish loneliness and bring back memories, even with the sickness slowly clouding your mind and covering memories with darkness. 

What is definitely worth to disseminate wider on the learning platform is the methodology, changing the perception of people with weaker understanding and limited possibility to express themselves, showing that there are ways of reaching to everybody if there is a will and the knowledge. The methodology both changing the attitude of the staff to engaging in not obvious audience groups and experiencing the value of international collaboration. 

The meeting was mainly in Dutch, except of my speech about River//Cities and European intercultural collaboration I am not a Dutch speaker, but I could feel the warm heart of the inclusive library J

Quoting Martine Vandermaes after the seminar “The colleagues had plenty of praise for the learning journey we embarked on through this EU-project, emphasizing the change and evolution within the team, emphasizing the impact it had on how staff members perceive their job and the commitment with which they start off on a project that is out of their comfort zone.

The praise from Hilde Delameilleure from FOTON was heartfelt, and extremely important for the team. An external expert and meticulous observator analysing how we evolve, how we face the challenges, how we adapt to the new context in interacting with audiences. Something we should really be proud of.

Your words on the importance of setting up projects in an international context linked with the steep learning journey of Jasmijn who was sent to Stockholm without having an in-depth insight of the project. Even today she mentioned this was for her a turning point in her professional career”

A home page “All aboard” where I_Improve will be connected to Forgotten Orchestra – managed by Bib-team, is under construction.

Good luck dear friends!

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Gallery: Forgotten Orchestra @Ostend Library

Images from the project "Forgotten Orchestra", presented for librarians of Flandern as new methodology 12th February 2020