Director’s Column

DIRECTOR’S COLUMN

 

July 2025

A July to Remember

How has your summer been so far? Are you like me and you are just now getting around to Spring Cleaning at home? Well, that second living room (your local public library) has a much easier to-do list for you to enjoy! Have you attended a library event yet this season? If not, stop by and pick up the summer guide with details for events through August. This month, on July 14 and 15, we will join the Palm Harbor Main Street Association and celebrate 100 Years of Palm Harbor with special events here at PHL and several other spots near and dear to local Palm Harbor life. And if you want to continue your history deep dive, check out the library’s digital edition of the New York Times, which goes all the way back to 1851 (not to mention free access to their additional features such as recipes and games). The movie Jaws recently celebrated 50 years 🦈 and you can watch it with us on July 3. Or perhaps you want to look into your own history and ancestry with the Suncoast Genealogy Society, also here for you at PHL. And the list goes on…

July marks month two of summer reading! Kids, teens and adults can still sign up for the reading initiative. PHL will be closed on July 4th for the Independence Day holiday, but when the last firework has lit up the night sky, why not curl up with a good book or film to honor the historic date? Kids can read about the Declaration of Independence. Teens can grab a biography of the declaration’s author. Adults can check out one of our many books on American history, or perhaps opt for one of our documentaries on DVD. And if you want to keep the celebration going, join us on July 28 for Pizza and a Movie – we will be screening the classic picture Yankee Doodle Dandy. 🇺🇲

A century ago – July 15, 1925 – our town of Sutherland was renamed Palm Harbor. Now the community is coming together to celebrate this milestone. On July 14, PHL will host Countdown to Palm Harbor at 5:00 p.m. The lineup of speakers is not to be missed, scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. Adults may also raise a glass and toast the occasion with wine and cake, not to mention hors d’oeuvres and even coffee for those who crave an early evening boost. 🎉 The evening will be complete with an exhibition from Palm Harbor Museum, live music, and giveaways.

On July 15, PHL will host Palm Harbor Centennial Family Day at 3:00 p.m. This is a chance for the whole family to take part in the festivities with multiple activities, selfie-spots, and even a costume contest. Need costume ideas? Think 1920s, or even more specific to Palm Harbor: orange groves or post offices. Dress up as a citrus, or a postal worker, or a stamp… we can’t wait to see what you dream up! And it wouldn’t be a party without sweets and snacks. 🧁 For more area events honoring 100 years of Palm Harbor, visit the Palm Harbor Main Street Association website.

When it comes to the busy-ness of summer and the craziness of life, we are all in the same boat. Here at PHL we are delighted to live in that ocean of possibilities for recreation and respite you can traverse every summer. And given how immensely strong the rip current of resources and services can pull, there is simply no other way to say it: we’re gonna need a bigger boat! 🛥️

~Matthew

Matthew David, Palm Harbor Library Director

June 2025

Summer Reading 2025: Color Our World

Every June and July – and the beginning of August – the Palm Harbor Library (PHL) joins libraries nationally to celebrate the summer reading initiative. This year’s theme set by the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) is Color Our World. 🎨 Art is intrinsic to our mission. And given the wealth of creativity in our community, this theme is a perfect fit for all of us! When you visit PHL, you will see two designated spaces for exhibitions, related books and media onsite and online for all ages, collections of cameras and musical instruments to check out, a creative makerspace for kids, and even a Little Free Art Gallery outside in our garden. Look for activities, programs, and events which incorporate the arts in numerous ways. I invite all to discover – or rediscover – the myriad spaces, services, and resources we have to offer through special activities, giveaways, and reads. The Suncoast boasts great outdoor experiences, but when you are ready to beat the heat, the world continues inside the library!

What is Summer Reading? Simply put, it is an effort to incentivize and inspire reading and engagement with your local library. We do this with book benchmarks, themed events, and multiple methods of participating – not to mention giveaways and prizes. New readers can be energized, and those of us who have not read anything in a while can reignite that spark. 🌟 This initiative is for all ages, and PHL has something for everyone. Reading choices can be wide ranging, but for those wanting to fully embrace the theme, relevant titles are easy to find. Here are just a few fiction and nonfiction options:

To make the most of the summer reading experience, visit PHL and pick up a Summer Guide to see the rich list of experiences we have planned for all ages. Beginning May 31st, registration will be open for many of the reading clubs and events scheduled June through August. Parents and caregivers can stop by the Children’s room to pick up reading logs. Teens and adults can stop by the info desks to pick up achievement and activity sheets. 📋 Many programs fill up fast, so don’t wait!

Summer reading programs began in the late 1800s as a way of helping children develop good reading habits when school was not in session. Reading goals help to address summer learning loss; according to the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), students can lose 17 – 34% of knowledge gained in the school year. Recreational reading combines the need for fun and escape with the benefits of lifelong learning and enrichment. 📚 Nowadays, the focus has expanded to include teens and adults.

Salvador Dalí wrote sage advice for any individual who wishes to both learn and do in the fine art world: “Begin by drawing and painting like the old masters. After that do as you see fit – you will always be respected.” What book about art will you read this summer? What art fair or museum will you visit? And then… what will you create? Or help others to create? 🖍️ Maybe you will celebrate when the youth in your family learn to color inside the lines – or be astounded when they advance to doing as they “see fit” by illustrating something truly unique. At every stage, the library will be here to support those journeys: in reading, in art, or the next blank canvas of your choice.

~Matthew

Matthew David, Palm Harbor Library Director

May 2025

Now, Then, and Someday

On Thursday, May 1, 2025 I will join my peers from Palm Harbor and East Lake on our annual visit to present next year’s budget to the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners. Although formal presentations are always challenging, the preparation has given me an excellent opportunity to take stock of PHL as it is now, our achievements from last year, and our plans for the coming year. For example, last year visits to PHL increased by 11% – exceeding 165,000! 🎉 This community is incredibly creative, driven and engaged, and we do our best to reflect that spirit here for individuals and families alike. I am privileged to represent this library and everyone we serve. May the days ahead be joyous for all, and may the years ahead be even better.

Did you know? The Greater Palm Harbor Chamber of Commerce meets here at PHL the first Thursday morning of every month for networking, local updates, coffee and breakfast. ☕ The Chamber welcomes both members and guests to attend and promote their local businesses. This month the Chamber will be here on Thursday, May 1st, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. One day later, on Friday, May 2nd at 6:00 p.m., do not miss the Bernie’s Bistro music event centered on rhythm & blues with Honeyboy & Mr. Jones.

In May we celebrate Mother’s Day, of course, and we invite Palm Harbor to celebrate with us. You could check out a book such as:

And while you are here, why not visit the Palm Harbor Friends of the Library Bookstore and get a Mother’s Day gift, like a book, or a puzzle, or a gift basket? On Saturday, May 10 at 2:30 p.m. adults can join us for Starbucks Mothers Day Tea (registration closes the morning of May 3rd). And for any kids or tweens ages 5 to 12 who want their very own tea time, register now for the Topsy Turvy Tea Party on Thursday, May 8 at 4:30 p.m. Oh, and that reminds me, I want to wish you all a very, merry unbirthday! 🐇👑🃏🌙😸🪞🎩

Summer is just around the corner. To prepare for the full summer reading experience, visit PHL on Saturday, May 31, 2025, between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. In-person registration is available for reading clubs and special events. Reading logs and activity packets will also be on hand that day. 📋 Many youth and all ages programs fill up fast, so make time to stop by if you can. The theme for summer this year is Color Our World, and adults can join in PHL’s summer reading kickoff on Thursday, May 29 at 10:00 a.m. with Book Tasting.

Here at PHL, we are always excited for our future serving the community in new and interesting ways. But sometimes it is nice to look back at where we have been. So on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. we will participate as the Palm Harbor Museum’s featured topic: Palm Harbor Library: Now, Then, and Someday. I will be presenting along with two very special guest speakers – you won’t want to miss it! 🤌 This team presentation will include a tour of the library and giveaways for all in attendance.

~Matthew

Matthew David, Palm Harbor Library Director