Many of the activities that we want to participate in have unfortunately been in Palm Beach County which is about an hour north of us. I was beginning to wonder if I had made a mistake joining this group, but then a trip to the Alvin Sherman Library on the Nova Southeastern University campus came up.
The librarians in the children's department gave an excellent tour of the entire library. I think one of the highlights was the 4th floor shelving. Of course with a growing supply of books they don't have enough room to store them all so the shelves are motorized. There are safety sensors to keep from "squishing the librarians" or library patrons.
They also shared with us a terrific database system that will aid us and so many other homeschool families.
In the alcove before the grand staircase is a prayer wheel, blessed by the Dalai Lama. This prayer wheel was hand-forged by craftsmen in Indi and blessed by the Dalai Lama during one of his visits to the University. The librarian shared that the prayer wheel is used to spread spiritual blessings throughout the universe. The mantra written on the wheel is Om Mani Padme Hum. It is suggested that you recite the prayer while turning the wheel.
At the top of the grand staircase, there is a beautiful glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly. The librarian who did the tour asked what the kids thought it looked like. Various answers included an unmowed yard with yard toys, flowers, but the best one was a coral reef.
