Harford County Public Library Introduces LEAP Music Collection

From the Harford County Public Library:

Musical instruments for children and young adults are now being offered by Harford County Public Library through its new LEAP Music collection.

LEAP Music is an extension of the library’s LEAP STREAM initiative. Research demonstrates that learning music facilitates the learning of other subjects and can improve a child’s understanding and grasp of mathematical concepts.

Available in the Abingdon, Bel Air, Havre de Grace and Jarrettsville libraries are instrument kits for children in grades one to five in the following areas: percussion kits (triangle and tambourine), bongo kits (bongo drum), ukulele kits (ukulele and tuner), guitar kits (guitar and tuner) and violin kits (violin and tuner).

Available in Aberdeen, Abingdon, Bel Air, Edgewood, Fallston, Havre de Grace, Jarrettsville, Joppa, Norrisville and Whiteford libraries are LEAP Music kits with student-sized instruments for grades six and up. The kits include an instrument and tuner for the ukulele, classical guitar, acoustic guitar and violin.

Each LEAP Music kit contains the instrument and informational books, CDs and/or DVDs. LEAP Music kits may be requested and picked up at the library selected by the customer. The kit may be borrowed for three weeks and may be renewed twice if there are no holds on it. A customer may borrow two kits per library card.

LEAP Music kits are sponsored by The Morris A. and Clarisse B. Mechanic Foundation.

“Music is an important part of a well-rounded education,” said Mary Hastler, CEO of Harford County Public Library. “By offering the instruments through the library, we are helping Harford County children and families experiment with different instruments before having to make a commitment to purchase an instrument. We are so grateful to the Mechanic Foundation for supporting the establishment of this collection so we can offer even more opportunities to our customers.”

“The Morris A. and Clarisse B. Mechanic Foundation is so very pleased and excited to sponsor such a unique collection for Harford County Public Library,” said Carolyn Lambdin, secretary of The Morris A. and Clarisse B. Mechanic Foundation and vice president of the Harford County Public Library Foundation. “Music is an art and has proven to be therapeutic. It is nurturing and emotional, bringing people together through expression. The Mechanic Foundation feels it’s important that everyone interested should have access to musical instruments like those provided by Harford County Public Library.”