The programming room at the Austin Public Library turned into a temporary art studio on Saturday as the Austin Public Library kicked off its new Book Art program.

At one table was four year-old Ila Raffelson, who was pressing a paint-covered piece of a Styrofoam plate onto a sheet of paper. On the paint covered side of the plate was a design of her own making.

“We’re making stamps,” she said. “I have a heart, zigzags, a swirl and a star.”

Her mother, Lindsey Raffelson, said Ila like to do artwork.

Ila said her favorite part of doing artwork was making crafts. When asked if she was going to be an artist when she grows up, she gave an emphatic “yeah!”

At another table, four year-old Elliott Hopp also made a stamp. Her stamp, however, was designed with squares, circles and other shapes.

“We’re avid library patrons and we thought we’d try it,” said Elliott’s mother, Lynelle Topp-Hopp. “We often go to the ArtWork Center classes on Saturday and we thought we’d try it here.”

Overseeing the activity was Technology Librarian Patrick Mulrooney.

“Today we’re staring a new series on book arts,” he said. “This particular session is on very early, simple printmaking. They’re taking foam plates and coming up with a design unique to their own and trying their hand on some early printing techniques.”

Mulrooney said the St. John’s Bible that is currently on display at the Austin Public Library is a great example of book arts, one that he hopes to expand upon.

The new program, which will be held once a month, will offer opportunities for both kids and adults to participate.

“Our next one coming up is also for children and it will be making one page animal books out of one sheet of paper,” Mulrooney said. “In March, we’re looking forward to doing an adult one. We’ll have adults sewing long stitch books they can take with them.

“In the summer we’ll be doing some paper marbling with adults, so all different aspects of book arts will be focused on.

Mulroonery said the programs are free and materials will be provided; however, the adult programs will require signing up due to limited space.

“We’re hoping to make the library an inviting and fun place to come and encourage kids to be very creative, to be makers and to have fun and come back,” he said.

“I’m hoping they’ll eventually have a love of book arts because there is so much to books,” he said. “Reading is obvious, but there is so much art that’s involved in the making and producing of books.”