BiblioBios: Music and Dance Library operations manager combines musical skills and lifelong connection to community

It’s not surprising Gorton Music and Dance Library Operations Manager Chris Bohling feels at home on the Hill. As a kid, on snowy days he would trek up to where the west wing of Murphy Hall now sits, trailing his sled behind him. Before the addition of the library to that slope, Bohling repeatedly slid through the very spot that now occupies the library’s circulation desk – where he spends a good deal of time, making sure library processes flow smoother than a sled down a hill.  

It’s a place that still brings him a lot of joy, in new and different ways.  

“When someone comes into the library and they’re enthusiastic about what they’re trying to do and I can help them out, that’s a good time,” Bohling said.  

Beyond the wintery days of childhood, Bohling has been around the music library for “a long time,” and has built many musical connections in the area and in KU’s Department of Music. He moved to Lawrence when he was six months old, growing up in the Schwegler neighborhood two blocks south of Murphy Hall. As a student at Lawrence High School, he participated in drum line, choir, and theater. Drumline was a special love of Bohling’s, and memories of the connections made with bandmates have stuck with him. 

“I remember going to get snow cones [with fellow percussionists] during the band camp lunch break and we were almost never back on time, much to the chagrin of the directors,” he said. 

Music has always been an important part of Bohling’s life, from wanting to sing for the elementary school talent show from a young age to family road trips where awe-inspiring views out the window were paired with favorite soundtracks playing inside the car.  

“One of my most influential memories — or set of memories, more accurately — was when I was a kid, we would frequently go to Estes Park over spring break,” he said. “Driving up the canyon from Boulder to Estes, we’d always listen to the hits from the band Chicago and that’s always stuck with me as a uniquely memorable musical moment in my childhood.” 

After high school, Bohling came to KU to study music, earning an undergraduate degree in vocal performance in 2010, and going on to a master’s degree in musicology in 2012. In addition to his studies, he sang and played bodhrán, an Irish frame drum, in an Irish band called Dorian’s Wheel. During his time as a KU student, he worked at the music and dance library for three years.  

After graduation, Bohling worked at the Linwood Public Library, advancing to serve as director for two years until becoming operations manager of KU’s music and dance library in 2015.  

“I enjoy working in libraries in general and especially at an academic library because I’m one of those naturally inquisitive people who always want to be learning something,” Bohling said. “Being in a place where I can help other people find that same joy of learning is really important to me.” 

Bohling’s efforts alongside Performing Arts and Humanities Librarian Sara Outhier have helped bring the work of a broader and more diverse set of composers and musicians to the library, fueling adjustments to the curricula and new research opportunities.  

In addition to musical scores and books, the library also provides access to recordings and videos including CDs, VHS and DVD recordings and the equipment to play them on. Students can hear and see examples to illustrate the theory and techniques they need to learn to support their interests and discovery. 

“I think the thing I like most about my job is just helping people find what they need, helping them with research,” Bohling said. “I like that one-on-one teaching.” 

A combination of love of music and love of learning, merged with his own musical skills, makes Bohling a great fit for his role at the Music and Dance Library.  

“This may sound stereotypical,” he said, “but I do think that music can express the depth of our feeling and the human condition.” 

BiblioBios shine a light on the people behind the collections, programs and services in KU Libraries. Find your link to important information and resources by connecting with our faculty and staff through the KU Libraries Directory.