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Community Corner

Cromaine Library Brings Magic to Hartland

Local muggles are invited to come explore the world of Harry Potter.

The magical world of Harry Potter might be make-believe, but thanks to a traveling exhibit from the National Library of Medicine, which is currently on display at the , Hartland residents can explore the links between the magical world and the Muggle (real) world.

The exhibit, called Harry Potter's World, looks at the similarities between J.K. Rowling's mythical world and the Renaissance era in our own world, where things such as potions, mythical beasts, and magic were just as common.

Exploring and discovering, according to Cromaine Director Ceci Marlow, is what makes reading books such as the Harry Potter series, not only entertaining but enlightening as well.

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“I think that what we really want to look at isn’t just, here are these books and movies and this whole culture, it’s really that we want to look at how reading provides you a starting point for discovery,” Marlow said. “The value of reading is introducing you, helping further your journey, inspiring you to acquire new passions for learning.”

The grand opening of the exhibit took place this past Sunday with a World Kick-Off Celebration. About 50 people came to listen and enjoy music from the sound shaman, Norma Gentile, who is an expert at healing chants.

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The exhibit, which is located on the third floor of the Cromaine Library, is open to the public until Feb. 23, with specific times it will be closed to allow for meetings and other activities.

“All you have to do is check in at the front desk,” Marlow said. “We’ll let folks go up and if it’s a large group we’ll have someone accompany you.”

Other events are planned to help celebrate the world of Harry Potter including an herbalist, an acclaimed Livingston County author and a representative from the Sloan/Longway Planetarium in Flint. Registration with Cromaine is required for all events.

Some of the activities are kid-friendly, but everyone, even people who haven’t read the series, are encouraged to attend.

“Even if you haven’t ready Harry Potter, maybe now you’re going to want to,” Marlow said. “But you're certainly going to get to explore Renaissance science, magic and medicine and we’re just really fortunate that the National Library of Medicine shares this exhibit with us.”

Marlow said she understands from her own experience how the world of Harry Potter can touch a reader’s world. She is also excited to be able to bring part of that world to the community of Hartland.

It is fantastical, it is a delight, it is an opportunity for all kinds of discovery,” Marlow said. “More than that, its how Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling have brought people, who might not otherwise have been engaged in literature and reading back to that place.”

“You can fill a lot of long winter nights with the Harry Potter series,” she said.

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