There's a Changing of the Guard at the Historic Guthrie Music Library

July 1 marked a rather historic changing of the guard as longtime Guthrie Music Library Chair Dr. Dorothy (Dotti) Garcia will relinquish her leadership position to San Bernardino County Superior Court judge Cynthia Ludvigsen. “The Guthrie Music Library is one of San Bernardino’s hidden treasures,” said Garcia, who with San Bernardino Symphony Guild members Donna Uhl and Jan Bell formed the original Guthrie Library committee at the request then-President of the Symphony Board, Mary Schnepp. The extensive collection of over 5,000 instrumental parts and scores had been donated to the San Bernardino Symphony in 1994 by its founder and conductor for over 30 years, James Kelly Guthrie. The music scores were then stored in two places: a professional building across the street from St. Bernardine’s hospital, and a tin shed on the site of a former orange packing house in Highland. Both sites were rent-free, thanks to supporters of the Symphony. The scores were in boxes at both locations, with those most used by rental clients at the suite in the professional building, but it was extremely difficult to find pieces as needed. So Garcia, Uhl, and Bell located a building on 21st Street in San Bernardino and their husband moved the many boxes to this new facility. Aided by other Symphony Guild members, the group began the complex process of inventorying the thousands of pieces. But about the time most of the music had been moved and placed on shelves, word came that the building would be sold and a new venue would need to be found. It was Symphony patron and Board President Edward “Duke” Hill who recommended the music be moved to Feldheym Library. The Board agreed and an approach was made. “Former Library Director Ophelia Roop was able to convince her staff, the Library Board, and members of the City Council that this was indeed something that should happen,” said Garcia. “Former Councilwoman Esther Estrada was instrumental in getting a wall built to separate the Guthrie Music Library from the rest of the public library, and surplus library shelves were installed.” The boxes left in the Highland shed were moved to storage at the National Orange Show, again rent-free, and those at the other site were moved to Feldheym, many of them by volunteers from the Church of the Latter Day Saints, coordinated by Carey Davis, now Mayor of the City of San Bernardino. His mother, Jacquie Davis, a talented violinist, was an employee of the San Bernardino Symphony at the time, in charge of renting music to orchestras throughout the country. “Jacquie Davis was pretty much the entire operation,” remembers Guthrie. Now with a permanent location in place, the volunteers proceeded to place the music on the shelves in alphabetical order so that it was easier to access. Other volunteers sorted pieces the Orange Show, and then transported it to the Feldheym Library to be incorporated. “This process led to the development of a cataloging system, a printed catalog and the website currently used by the Guthrie,” said Garcia. The Library has operated continuously since, serving hundreds of clients each year, and volunteers continue to work at mending and organizing the pieces as they return from the Symphony and rental clients. Judy Steppins is the current Guthrie librarian, responsible for management of rentals and client interface. “Without the many volunteers who have been and still are involved in this project, the Guthrie Music Library would not be available to orchestras throughout the country, and the world,” shared Garcia. Whose retirement from the Symphony Board predicates the relinquishment of the Committee Chair. “But I won’t really be gone as I’ll be staying on as a Guthrie Library volunteer.” In addition to that work, Garcia will be supporting in-coming Chair Ludvigsen who joined the San Bernardino Symphony Board in 2014. Ludvigsen and her husband, Gary Silvius, had supported the Symphony since relocating to San Bernardino in 1980, with Silvius serving for several years as the non-profit’s treasurer. “We love classical music, as well as many other genres,” said Ludvigsen. “When I was asked to join the board, I jumped at the chance since we have long enjoyed the Symphony and know how important it is to our community.” Ludvigsen immediately embraced her board role, joining the Guthrie Library Committee. “I was amazed at the number of pieces in the music collection and the fact that orchestras throughout the country, and even internationally, rent our scores to use in their performances,” said Ludvigsen. Her plan is to carry on Garcia’s work providing scores and instrument parts to other orchestras worldwide. “I cannot pretend to have the knowledge, experience or dedication that Dotti Garcia has and has shown to the Guthrie Music Library,” said Ludvigsen. “I hope to build on Dotti's work, although I can never do the great job she has done. I hope make the work of our volunteers easier, to explore ways to expand the reach of our rental pool, and to make the community more aware of the existence and value of music library and community treasure.”