Library director Glenderlin Holiday (right) promised to preserve the local music collection and thanked Rolando Tobias (left) for thinking of the library.
PHILIPSBURG--Philipsburg Jubilee Library (PJL) now has a digital collection of local media contributed by Rolando Tobias to mark a milestone of celebrating 25 years in radio. The collection consists of 999 songs from 100 local artistes spanning 50 years of music.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, on September 2, Tobias recounted how he had started his radio career after being asked to give advice to two bank colleagues, Perry Wilson and Stanley Lint, who had been hosting a Friday evening interview programme on GBBC, 99.9FM. Both Wilson and Lint left shortly afterward to further their studies abroad and Tobias was asked to take over their evening shift.
Under the tutelage of Eddie Williams, Mike Jarvis and Phyllis Meit, Tobias developed a high standard of performance as a radio personality. Over the past 25 years, he has parlayed his talent from radio personality to public moderator, television personality to announcer of the live election results for all elections since 2007. He attributes his success in radio/media to his high level of discipline, professionalism and consistency.
Tobias explained that in all he has done in media and radio over the past 25 years, his role as co-host of the popular Saturday music programme Caribbean Classix has been the most rewarding. Having collected a large amount of local music over the past 25 years, he felt it important to contribute his local music collection to the public library to preserve the local music as part of the island’s cultural heritage.
In accepting the music collection, PJL Director Glenderlin Holiday outlined the important role the library plays in the local community. She emphasised the importance of preserving the island’s cultural heritage for future generations.
Having the local music collection, an intangible cultural asset, at the library will allow the owners to “replenish their music”. It will also allow students and adults who are doing research to be able to access the music, while the public can come and listen at their convenience.
The library will not be selling the local music, out of respect for the artistes and to not engage in copyright infringement.
The recently established Soualiga Kaiso Association (SKA) was also informed of the conditions. An agreement to the conditions was documented and signed by both Tobias and the Library Board.
Holiday thanked Tobias for thinking of the library, promised to preserve the music collection and congratulated him on his contribution as a radio and media personality for the past 25 years.
