Little literati are learning the love of reading and a whole lot more at the new Children’s Library, which the Santa Barbara Public Library opened in September after extensive renovations to the downtown institution.
To get the true sense of its wonder, I bribed my 5-year-old son, Nikita Gruzdev, with an organic lollipop to give me a tour of his favorite new cool-kid hangout. “I used to not like libraries,” said Nikita. “But I like this one because it’s okay to talk. They have screaming babies in here and everything.”
The library’s extensive programs vary from teen book clubs and bilingual preschool story time to assistance with mobile devices and adult coloring hour. “You can find cool things in here,” explained Nikita of the highlights listed below. “It’s good to have a little free time to check it all out.”