"I've seen Gary's performance before so I knew we were in good hands, especially with a packed house of 80+ patrons. During each performance, I'm always impressed how he can handle a large audience by keeping the crowd engaged and focused on his magic. His show is captivating, fun, and has a lot of humor that keeps the audience laughing with every trick. Gary is such a professional and hands-down one of the best performers I've seen for a library program. We look forward to having Gary back again!"
Glencoe Public Library – Alyson Dorfman (Children's Librarian)
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"Hi Gary. It was so great to have you with us this summer for your kid's magic workshops. You were easy to work with, well prepared, and a lot of fun! The tricks your taught were just right for our grade school age range, and everyone left thrilled to show their families their new magic skills. I have to say, your classroom management skills are spectacular, you fully engaged everyone while making sure that the ground rules were clear and reasonable, allowing everyone to get the most out of the workshop - bravo! The supplies you provided for each trick were quality materials that really made the kids feel like magicians, and the tricks you presented were really good, I had fun being a part of it! Thanks again. I will happily pass your name and contact information on to other librarians as one of our best presenters of the summer."
Elmhurst Public Library - Gloria Walsh-Rock (Assistant Dept. Head - Kids Library)
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"Everyone enjoyed Gary’s Magic Workshop: kids, teens, parents and staff. The target audience consisted of ages 5-12, and several teens that came along with siblings. Gary engaged the crowd at the beginning, and kept them absorbed throughout. Not an easy feat with 43 youth of such disparate ages! He also included parents and staff in some tricks, so everyone felt included. The kids enjoyed learning tricks of their own to take home, and the first rule of being a magician: Never tell the secrets of your magic tricks. Gary introduced the library books on display and explained that he had begun learning magic at the age of seven using books, many borrowed from the local library. (Yay, Gary!) He also included a quick discussion on the importance of various subjects, such as math, science and reading, in becoming an accomplished magician. Gary brought laughter and gasps to the audience many times, and performed with energy, patience and professionalism. His program was a ray of sunshine on a cold, rainy day, and I would definitely recommend it to other libraries and individuals."
Bellwood Public Library – Diana Sills (Head of Youth Services)
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"Our library has hosted many magicians over the years, but none of them were able to engage our audience of 60+ patrons like Gary Kantor did when he performed at Franklin Park in October! His show is fun, interactive, and entertaining for all ages. We received positive feedback from our patrons, and both kids and adults were excited to try one of his tricks on their family and friends. Gary is also very professional to work with; he understands that every library is different and will work with you to accommodate different group sizes, budgets, and more. We would definitely hire Gary Kantor again and highly recommend his magic show! Thanks again!"
Franklin Park Public Library - Joyce Arellano (Coordinator of Information & Digital Services)
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"Gary, I just wanted to tell you what a wonderful time our members had at your magic show. The magic tricks you performed were unbelievable. You also have a natural presence about you that puts your audience at ease and willing to help you with your presentation. Our members walked out very satisfied and thanked me repeatedly for hiring you. As you predicted, the magic tricks section in the library was well looked at and many books checked out. Thanks again for a wonderful program and we hope you will come to the library again."
Indian Trails Library (Wheeling) - Rose Johnson (Youth Services Assistant/Programmer)
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"Awesome! Exciting! Fun! Gary Kantor’s Magic Workshop exceeded my expectations. Gary easily managed a room full of 5 -12 year olds with ease as he explained tricks thoroughly and took time to give the older kids extra tips. The children were given a bag of magic tricks to take home and perform on their friends and family. He did a great job of stressing the importance of education and reading in his workshop. After the show, our magic books flew off the shelves! I’m planning on having Gary back soon."
Winfield Public Library – Nuccia Choate (Youth Services)
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"Gary Kantor performed at the Skokie Public Library on August 24th to a standing room only crowd of over 200 people. He immediately captivated the audience, with his fun magic. He did a great job of involving the audience and you could hear the giggles throughout the auditorium, even the skeptical enjoyed the show. Gary came as part of a Village-wide event, so he had to deal with the competition of carnival rides and live music, but he brought the crowd in and they stayed. After his show, he had a couple of beginning magic sets to sell, and with each child who bought a trick, he patiently showed them how to do the trick. Watching him with each child individually convinced me to have him back to do a magic workshop for our Skokie kids, he was patient and fun as each child mastered the tricks! He was patient with me, as well, because he had to show me several times how to perform the trick! I have already used one of the tricks he taught me in my storytime and it was a big hit!"
Skokie Public Library – Cathy Maassen
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"Gary Kantor did a fantastic job leading several magic classes at our library. He taught upwards of 80 children (and their parents), managing the crowds with ease and keeping them captivated and entertained the whole time. We received so many compliments from patrons afterward, and many kids were anxious to show off their new tricks to staff. We look forward to having him back!"
Lake Villa District Library – Elisa Gueffier (Youth Services Librarian)
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"Gary was a fantastic performer and the children were absolutely enthralled with his magic! Gary was prompt, perfectly prepared and had a great rapport with his audience. The laughter and happy smiles from the audience as they left the program was proof enough of how much they enjoyed the show! I would gladly have him back for a repeat performance."
Deerfield Public Library – Nina Michael
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"Gary did a fantastic job performing and teaching magic tricks at our library. He flawlessly held the attention of 60+ plus children ages 5 and up, which to me is a magic trick itself. The children absolutely loved his tricks and cannot wait for him to come back! I especially liked that Gary pushed the importance of reading and learning throughout the magic show. We hope to have you back soon!"
Green Hills Public Library (Palos Hills) – Brittany Ramos
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"Thank you for your magic performance at our library. It was wonderful to host your fantastic show and workshop! I truly enjoyed your performance and so did all of the patrons in attendance. It was so fun to see the audience amazed and laughing along with you during the magic show. I love how you include the children in your performance. I also, loved how you promote reading and the library in your program. The magic book section really emptied out after your performance. We had many patron comments on the program evaluation forms. One said "loved it" and another said, "Great magic workshop, I loved how he shared his magic tricks with the children". Again, who does not love magic?"
Fountaindale Public Library (Bolingbrook) - Nancy Lupo and Wendy Birkemeier
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"Gary, thanks for bringing your magic acts and workshop to the Fox Lake District Library. We had a great attendance and everyone enjoyed the magic. The workshop was great. The tricks the kids learned were presented in a professional manner and the kids were very excited to take home the tricks. Everything was done in such a nice paced atmosphere that really kept things moving and entertaining and educational. I plan to be calling you in the future for more exciting magic programs!"
Fox Lake District Library - Cindy Lobaza (Assistant Librarian)
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"Gary did a truly masterful job of keeping almost 40 children spellbound and attentive for the entire workshop. The kids were buzzing with excitement as they left with their new magic tricks, and many parents told us how impressed they were with the program. We will certainly have you back in the future!"
Frankfort Public Library - Jennifer Erbach
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"Gary was kind enough to do a workshop for our monthly book discussion group for 4th-8th graders. His workshop tied in perfectly with the book we read in January, The Magician's Elephant. The kids were very enthusiastic and eager to learn. They were definitely impressed with Gary's skills, and he was so patient teaching them each trick. I know they were delighted to have a special guest and excited to have the opportunity to bring magic tricks home to practice. We would definitely invite Gary back for another event!"
Hillside Public Library - Maura Terrado (Youth Services Librarian)
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"Just a note to say thanks again for a great program on Tuesday, June 5. The magic show was wonderful and so funny, and the magic class after was great for all ages! I received a lot of wonderful feedback from the kids and their parents. It was a great start to our Summer Reading Program. Enjoy the rest of the summer, and we will be calling you for a future show."
Crestwood Public Library - Debbie Fisher (Youth Services Manager)
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"Gary, thank you again for your magic workshop! The kids really enjoyed the tricks, in fact they were so excited, they showed the library staff before I did! Most of the tricks that you taught had never been seen before by the kids and adults! Great job keeping our interest!"
North Riverside Public Library – Karen Quinn (Youth Services Assistant)
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"Gary's Balloon Animal Workshop was one of our best programs this summer. He came well-prepared, ensuring that every child was successful at making all the balloon animal creations."
Batavia Public Library – Joleen Batek
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"Today we had 43 children leave our library with excitement!! They had spent time with Gary doing magic. Magic that they were able to show their parents and friends with the "6 magic tricks" props. They learned "the secret" and were shown how to present the tricks to amaze their families and friends. What a wonderful time all had."
McHenry Public Library - Gwen Doolan
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"Gary was great with both the kids and adults in the room! Everyone enjoyed the workshop and we had many positive comments from customers as they left the program. We will definitely have Gary back at the Barrington Area Library."
Barrington Area Library - Demitra Badino-Berger (Youth Librarian)
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"Gary Kantor's Magic Workshop was a HUGE success at Prairie Trails Public Library! The show was provided for a wide age range. All the children paid close attention and stayed attentive throughout the whole program. Gary explained how to perform the tricks and was patient with all participants. He kept the program moving and flowing without a disturbing moment in the program."
Prairie Trails Public Library (Burbank) - Erica Liptack (Head of Youth Services)
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"Gary Kantor's magic workshop was quite an experience, kids and parents enjoyed learning and the whole process was entertaining. Gary was very professional, a joy to work with! He will be returning to the Fox Lake District Library!"
Fox Lake District Library - Cindy Lobaza
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"Magician Gary Kantor's Family Magic Show last Saturday was a definite success! He kept the program moving smoothly and professionally, with children and parents engaged and laughing. I would definitely recommend him for your library."
Winnetka-Northfield Public Library - Bronwyn Parhad (Head of Youth Services)
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"We had Gary Kantor for a library program and he did a great job. He kept the kids' (and parents!) attention throughout the entire performance while redirecting the crowd when it got noisy. The kids were super excited to take home a goody bag full of tricks they could do with their family as well as checking out magic books from the library. Everyone seemed to have a lot of fun."
Antioch Public Library - Kim Zupkoff
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"Gary has the ability to keep the kids engaged and amazed, and every child that came out of Gary’s class had a new magic trick to show us. We received nothing but positive comments from both parents and children. A really wonderful hands-on program."
Crete Public Library - Gail Scott (Head of Youth Services)
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"I just wanted to thank you for coming out to the library to present your magic workshop yesterday. The children had a great time and were thrilled to take home a bag of tricks to share! I had a family come in to a program tonight that was able to “fool” grandma and grandpa with some of the tricks they learned. It was a pleasure working with you."
Addison Public Library – Debbie Sanchez (Children’s Library Associate)
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"Parents and children in our community enjoyed Gary Kantor's magic show. He has some fascinating tricks up his sleeve (and he only wore short sleeves on the day of his performance :-) His show is engaging and kept the children and parents enthralled and engaged."
Thomas Ford Memorial Library (Western Springs) - Uma Nori (Head of Youth Services)
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"Gary has a powerful hold on even the most wiggly aspiring magician, quickly and effectively teaching them a variety of tricks. We were impressed with his ability to handle a large crowd. He even had a few young fans show up at our program, excited to see him again!"
Berwyn Public Library – Marissa Garcia (Youth Services Librarian)
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"We just had Gary at our library for a Magic Workshop. Even though we had a large number of kids, he was able to keep them entertained while teaching them many tricks. He brought enough supplies to send each child home with a bag of tricks. A good time was had by all ages."
LaGrange Public Library – Patti Eaton
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"Gary. I just wanted to send a quick note of thanks for your awesome show! I was excited to learn that a number of children checked out books on magic this evening! You not only brought magic to an ordinary Tuesday evening, but you increased my Circ #s on 793.8."
Harvey Public Library District – Antonia Mcbride (Youth Services Manager)
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"Fun, informative, and interactive performances presented in a professional manner."
Orland Park Library – Becky McCormack (School Liaison Librarian)
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knamestitles of for park and mchen and oakfor and sko and vernhill (actual name), and titl lagr,
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We were all astounded, confounded, and amused by Gary's magical feats! He kept us enthralled during his show and that is no small accomplishment considering the wide age range of our typical audience. The kids were also thrilled to be active participants in some of his tricks especially the hysterical "Magic Gary", a crowd favorite. We received so much positive feedback from our patrons that we are already planning on having him back soon! He even manages to emphatically promote reading and the library at the end of his program. Entertainment and education all rolled into one great show. Terrific!
Melrose Park Library - Donna Powers (Youth Services Administrator)
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Gary’s magic mesmerized both kids and adults alike! Gary had a great rapport with the kids, making jokes and getting audience members to participate. Kids were rolling on the floor with laughter and gasping with amazement at the magic happening live in front of their eyes – no special effects required! Grown-ups were also included in participating and shown more complex tricks that they couldn’t wrap their minds around. At the end children were encouraged to use their library to find more books on magic. Gary is everything a library could hope for in a performer: entertaining, focused on literacy, flexible, prompt and an all-around pleasure to work with. If you’re looking for your patrons to walk away saying “this was the best library program ever!” Gary Kantor is the magician for you!
Chicago Public Library (Garfield Ridge Branch) - Victoria Galiniak (Children's Librarian)
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Gary Kantor went above and beyond with his magic show at our library this summer! His knowledge of how to work with all levels of children and adults was amazing. I was highly impressed with his ability to maintain the crowd and list his expectations to the younger kids and their caregivers. He tailored the show not only to the younger children in the room but also the pre-teens and adults. Gary kept the crowd happy, engaged and smiling! Gary Kantor truly knows how to work with ALL people. We will be so happy to have him back at Zion Benton Public Library for future programs.
Zion Benton Library - Mariel Patino (Youth Services Librarian)
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We had the pleasure of hosting Gary Kantor at our recent summer reading finale, and the kids and adults alike were mesmerized by his tricks and enjoyed lots of laughter. There was a good balance of tricks for kids of different ages and their parents, which kept everyone engaged. Gary was also very gracious about a last minute room change due to an oversight on my part. His program was such a hit that we look forward to having him back for more magical fun.
Northlake Public Library - Marianne Ryczek
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"We had Gary for our 75th Anniversary Open House, and he was amazing! Over the hour he was here, he did 5-10 minute mini shows. His flexibility in adjusting to the crowd sizes and ages was amazing. All of the children and parents loved watching his magic, and they could not get enough! Gary was extremely friendly and personable with all of the patrons. Some of the children came in a couple days later and were still talking about him! I would definitely recommend hiring Gary for any magic you may need."
Mount Prospect Library - Katie Bechtel (Youth Outreach Liaison)
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Gary Kantor visited the Harvard Diggins Library recently and wowed the crowd with his magic show. Kids and adults were immersed in Gary’s fast-paced, high energy program. Using volunteers from the crowd, Gary’s magic tricks were exciting and fun to watch. Best of all, Gary encouraged participants to use the library to learn more about magic. At the end of the program, Gary demonstrated some simple magic tricks young attendees could try at home and gave them the props needed to complete them. In short, Gary’s program is great for all ages. We highly recommend him!
Harvard Diggins Library - Karen Sutera
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Gary Kantor provided a fun and engaging training for our staff who work with children and young adults on integrating simple magic tricks into their work, which they are already beginning to put to work with our community! These simple magic tricks are great for programming, storytime, and also for redirection when children and teens need it. Simple, positive de-escalation methods like a magic trick work so well with all ages! We’re thrilled that Gary came to work with our staff and we will have him back again in the future.
Skokie Public Library – Leah White (Learning & Development Manager)
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The Magic of Gary Kantor Show was very popular at our library this summer. Both programs were full, one for families with kids ages 4+ and a separate magic workshop for 8 year olds. Parents who often "tune out" during kids shows were entertained and often encouraged to participate. Several parents shared comments like, "My kids LOVED (!!!!!) the magic tricks class in June." Our library worked with another local library to save on travel costs so that it could be more affordable. Gary set up very quickly, engaged the capacity crowds, and was very accommodating.
Laura Gangstad – Zionsville Library
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Gary Kantor’s magic show was truly loved by all ages at our library! He was able to captivate everyone’s attention easily and kept us all laughing from beginning to end. Gary’s magic show went over so well with all of our patrons that we had all of our magic books checked out after the show. We loved how Gary was able to entertain all ages with his magic tricks and keep the audience wanting more and more. It was truly a great show and I would definitely recommend booking him!
White Oak Library (Romeoville Branch) – Jessica Smith (Children's Services Supervisor/ Children's Librarian)
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It would be an understatement to say our patrons enjoyed Gary Kantor, he was AMAZING! He was the entertainer for our Summer Reading Kick- Off program. His ability to interact and adjust to the patrons and whole their attention was remarkable. He sparked our children interest in magic and they were showing other patrons the tricks they learned. Gary was professional and on time. We look forward to working with Gary again. I would recommend him 100%.
Markham Public Library – Brittany Lockridge (Youth Services Coordinator)
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“Gary did an incredible job performing and teaching magic tricks at our library. The workshop was great. We had a great attendance and everyone enjoyed the magic. We got many compliments from both kids and adults. I especially liked that Gary pushed the importance of reading and learning throughout the magic show. We hope to have you back soon!"
Bartlett Library - Mary Beth Fuller
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Gary Kantor’s Magic Workshop was so much fun! He managed to teach magic to a variety of ages, all while keeping both kids and adults entertained. Gary is flexible and accommodating, and wonderfully easy to work with. The kids came out of the workshop excited to show off their new magic skills, and we look forward to having him back for an entirely different workshop every time.
Prospect Heights Public Library– Beth Klein (Youth Librarian)
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We loved the magic workshop! Gary has a great way of working with kids of all ages. He keeps everyone interested and on task and he has a great sense of humor. I was delighted to see he makes sure everybody knows the importance of education and reading in mastering the skills it takes to be a good magician. I highly recommend Gary and would love to have him back in the future.
Bedford Park Library - Barb Weber
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Gary gives a great performance and manages to keep kids of all ages and attention spans on track. With plenty of audience participation and jokes to keep parents and guardians chuckling, Gary Kantor’s Magic Workshop is a fun and engaging program for anyone interested in an introduction to magic.
Helen Plum Library (Lombard) - Ting Ko (Youth Services Librarian)
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Gary Kantor put on a wonderful performance for our patrons. He was extremely flexible and easy to work with as we set everything up! There was a lot of audience participation and plenty of laughs. We would definitely have Gary Kantor back for another awesome magic show!
Glenside Library (Glendale Heights) – Jordan Bumber (Youth Librarian)
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Your performance was great and the audience really enjoyed themselves. There were many giggles from the participants and I received several positive comments from parents who attended the program afterwards.
Chicago Heights Public Library - Erica Arce (Children’s Department)
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Gary Kantor's magic workshops are fantastic! Kids and adults alike were engaged, entertained and enthralled. Highly recommended!
Woodridge Library - Jane Malmberg (Head of Children's Department)
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Thanks Gary for coming to Summit Public Library. Your performance was amazing! We would love to have you back in the near future. Everyone is still talking about you.
Summit Public Library - Olivia Morgucz (Youth Services)
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Gary had an audience of young and old completely entertained! His use of both children and adult participants kept everyone interested.
OakBrook Library - Theresa Ozark (Librarian)
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We loved having Gary perform at the Gail Borden Public Library. Mr. Kantor is the Ultimate Professional and I would highly recommend both his Magic Show and Magic Workshop. His shows are appropriate for all ages and had all of the audience entertained and excited. He brings humor and creativity together to make a one of a kind fabulous show. We can't wait to book him again!
Gail Borden Library (Elgin) - Julie Anne Robbins
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Gary Kantor performed at the White Oak Library Lockport Branch for the first time in June 2019 during our Summer Reading Program event. He had the whole audience amazed at his magic tricks. I specially loved the card tricks he did. We will be booking him for future program at our library.
White Oak Library (Lockport Branch) - Jane Gardner (Children’s Librarian)
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Gary plays to the whole crowd. His magic amazes the kids as well as the adults. Watching the kids help Gary with his magic is a blast to watch.
Downers Grove Library - Kristin Purcell
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Gary did a great job keeping the audience focused and energized!
Hodgkins Library – Carrie Cameron
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