The Frank Zappa statue will be dedicated Sept. 18 in its new home outside the Southeast Anchor Library in Highlandtown, officials said today.
The decision to erect the bust outside the library has generated buzz from neighborhood residents and local Zappa fans, according to Roswell Encina, spokesman for the Enoch Pratt library system.
"You can't imagine all the attention the library is getting," Encina said. "People are very interested that it's coming. We couldn't think of a better place for it."
When the Highlandtown branch of the library learned it would be the site for the statue, it stocked up on Zappa books and music, Encina said ...
"People are checking them out already," he said. "If you want to learn more about Zappa, travel to the Southeast Anchor Library."
Several sites were considered for the statue, including Fells Point and Mount Vernon. Highlandtown was chosen because of its high volume of foot traffic and Zappa's affinity for libraries. His mother, Rose Marie, was a librarian, and his widow, Gail, lobbied to have the bust placed near a city library.
Valued at about $50,000, the 15-odd foot statue was donated to the city from a Lithuanian fan club in 2008.
"It's been a long time coming," Encina said. "We couldn't think of a better place for it."
In anticipation of the statue's arrival, the library stocked up on several Zappa DVDs, according to branch manager Cindy Kleback. They have been checked out at a higher rate than most DVDs, she said. Books and other Zappa-related materials could follow in the coming months.
"The DVDs are very popular," she said. "He was a very visual artist."
(Pictured is a Zappa statue in Lithuania, similar to the Baltimore statue. AP photo.)