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La Grange Park library offering ukulele lessons after leaders say teen patrons expressed interest

With its small size and four strings, a ukulele is one of the easier instruments to learn to play. That reason, plus interest from its teenage patrons, prompted the La Grange Park Public Library to offer ukulele lessons.

Teen librarian Samantha Farruggia said she has lots of conversations with high school and middle school age students about what they like. She said she learned “teens are interested in the ukulele.”

“Somebody put (ukulele lessons) in our suggest box too,” Farruggia said.

The library purchased five ukuleles and scheduled a three week class for children in grades 7-12 on Saturday afternoons that began Jan. 4.

The class size is limited to five, so that each person has an instrument to use and practice with.

The ukulele provides a good introduction to playing a musical instrument, said Shannon Adams, the musician and vocalist who is teaching the class.

“You can learn it fairly quickly because there are only four nylon strings, unlike a guitar which has six steel strings, which you build up calluses playing on,” Adams said.

Although each class is only a half hour, it’s enough time to learn the basics, she said.

“We are learning how to read chord charts. It’s the same idea as a guitar, but a guitar chart has six lines and a ukulele chart has only four lines. So it’s fairly easy to pick up songs,” Adams said.

“I think they will be able to play something fun by the end of the course,” Adams said. “I did not want to overload them with too much information.”

The small size of the ukulele means it’s easy to carry. And for people who sing, “it’s easier to accompany yourself on the ukulele than on the piano,” Adams said.