Visit to the Palm Harbor Library
I recently listened to the Arts Axis Florida Podcast “There’s No “I” In Art”. The interview with Palm Harbor Library Director Gene Coppola piqued my interest for two reasons. The first reason was the creative space known as the Hazel L. Incantalupo MakerSpace or MakerSpace for short. When host Malaika Hollist and Gene described an area where parents are not allowed, and kids have free reign to create whatever they like, we eagerly went to check out the Palm Harbor Library.
Madeline and William were so excited to enter the children’s department of a different library. They whizzed around the shelves and bookcases before returning to my side at the children’s desk where they signed a form explaining the rules of Makerspace. Passports and hour-long timers in hand, they crossed the barrier, closed the gate, and began to make. They each had a table to work from and access to a plethora of art and craft supplies; paper, beads, glue, pasta, googly eyes, string, tape, paint, easels. As the space was only available for children ages 5 and over, I took Thomas to the sea shack themed reading area where we hunkered down and read a book or two or three or four. William sprayed quite a lot of water making a collage of different colored tissue paper while Madeline made her own stick man.
Unfortunately I did not get photos of their creations as we were busy taking advantage of the second reason I was interested in visiting the Palm Harbor Library - the opportunity to borrow a musical instrument. Madeline has been very eager to play the violin but we went with something a little easier to handle on our first rental and instead came home with a melody harp. I am exceptionally grateful that my children have access to different forms of creativity, from visiting art galleries, attending art camps, to renting musical instruments. The more we explore the more we find. Funny how that works right?
As Gene Coppola expresses in the interview, access to art is essential for creating well-rounded citizens. Art gives quality of life to a community and plays as important a role as math and science. “I honestly believe that if you expose a child to the arts; dancing, painting, playing music, whatever it may be, I truly believe it enriches the child’s life and it gives them added value to life and eventually, hopefully added value to the community.”
The Palm Harbor library is more than just a library, it’s an art-centric center, actively promoting and supporting visual and performing arts and giving people of all ages the opportunity to embrace and be involved in the arts. I recommend visiting, making, and renting an instrument or two.
