ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Corrina Clough (back) and Chloe Schumann color at the Saugus Library.
BY BRIDGET TURCOTTE
With the second week of school vacation underway, parents itching to find activities to keep their children busy should look no further than their local libraries.
While many of the area’s public libraries will be closed for the holiday, they will be open for a portion of the week and some will offer regular and special children’s programming.
The Swampscott Public Library will be closed on Thursday and Friday but will reopen on Saturday morning. Children’s librarian Izzi Abrams said she has noticed less children visiting the library over the school break.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have as many as we do during the school year,” she said. “We had a lot of kids around noon time (Monday). It was packed and then it died off.”
Other librarians have also noticed their services being underutilized.
“We have spurts of being very busy and then it also gets quiet once in awhile,” said Katelyn Cole, teen librarian at the Lynn Public Library.
“I have seen a lot more groups coming in this week,” Cole said.
The Lynn Public Library will close at 1 p.m. Thursday and will be closed Friday and Saturday. However, it will be open today and Wednesday.
QuaranTEEN, which is a part of the library’s regular weekly programming, will take place as usual today from 2:30 to 6 p.m.; and Wednesday from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
The QuaranTEEN program is for teenagers between the ages of 12 and 18. Teens can access technology including Mac and Dell computers, Xbox 360 with Kinect, Makey Makeys, iPads and more.
“It has been pretty quiet this week,” Cole said.
Children can ring in the new year at the Noontime New Year’s Eve celebration at the Saugus Public Library on Thursday. Noise makers, crowns and sparkling cider will add to the celebration. Bubble wrap will also be used to mimic the sounds of fireworks.
“The idea is to celebrate the new year at noon for the little ones instead of midnight,” said children’s librarian Martha Morgan. “We will be making crowns and noise makers and then counting down at noon with visuals of fireworks and the popping of bubble wrap.”
The celebration will begin at 11:30 a.m.
In addition, the Saugus Public Library will also hold its regularly scheduled activities for children.
Today from 9:30-10 a.m. and 10:30-11 a.m., children ages 2 and 3 can enjoy stories, songs and rhymes in the community room.
Wednesday there will be a Babies & Books program, during which babies from birth to 2 years old and their caregivers can gather for books, songs, rhymes and circle games.
A 4- and 5-year-old playgroup will meet in the community room between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. The playgroup, which meets regularly, is sponsored by the Coordinated Family Community Engagement grant.
The library will be open Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and closed Friday.
The Nahant Public Library will be open today and Wednesday but closed on Thursday and Friday, said Library Director Sharon Hawkes.
“It’s been fairly quiet,” Hawkes said. “But there have been a few more kids.”
While the library doesn’t have any scheduled activities, children are always welcome to visit, she said. Activities will resume on Jan. 8 with Storytime at 10 a.m. and Lego Club at 3 p.m.
The Abbot Public Library in Marblehead will be open today and Wednesday but closed Thursday and Friday.
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected].