The reenactment took place at noon on a cool winter Wednesday in Austin, so we did not know how many guests to expect. By 10:30 a.m., a long line had already formed and security had to monitor how many people entered the rooftop patio as maximum capacity is around 200. Families, Beatles fans, downtown employees and library regulars mingled, reminisced and admired the scene from the sixth floor rooftop. Crowds gathered at street level to hear the famous songs wafting down below.

Thanks to Austin’s volunteer-run community radio station, buzz was created around this weekday event which was streamed live on social media. The library relied on grassroots efforts, with no paid marketing. From community radio announcements, media relations and some social media posts, interest swelled. The rooftop proved to be an excellent music venue which generated conversations of possible daytime pop-up concerts in the future. The Beatles’ tribute concert utilized every inch of the rooftop in a meaningful way.

The rooftop concert challenged the traditional notion of library programming, bringing a diverse crowd to experience the unexpected. This unanticipated notion has elevated the library experience and brand. Austin is hailed as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” and now the library is engaging even more meaningfully with the music community. Print, online and broadcast media was garnered, including a couple of seconds on NBC Nightly News.