As a community hub, the Central Library continues to be a distribution point for N95 masks, offer a Thomas Fire information kiosk, and to provide increased events and activities for children, families, teens and adults.

Even though schools would have regularly been closed during the upcoming week, the inability for the community to be outside remains a real issue and the library recognizes the role it can play to provide a safe space to be.
 
At the Santa Barbara Central Library, the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system keeps the air fresh and filtered. Families can drop by anytime the library is open and build with LEGOs in the Learning Lab, make winter arts and crafts, or play board games.

This weekend the Central Library is offering two programs, Coding with Robots and Curiosity Club. Both activities are recommended for kids ages 7-12 years (caregivers welcome) and are part of the library’s science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) programming.

Coding with Robots will be 2-4 p.m. Saturday. Curiosity Club will be 2-3 p.m. Sunday. This weekend in Curiosity Club, participants can make magnetic slime.

Monday through Thursday in the coming week, the Central Library will offer a consistent slate of events for kids and families. Starting with Storytime at 10:30 a.m. and ending each day with a Family Movie at 4 p.m., there will be activities throughout the day.

Particularly good for those with kids who have been cooped up inside for too long will be the library’s Sensory Play and Recess activities at 11 a.m. Monday through Thursday.

Sensory Play features activities for children in preschool and early elementary grades that help them develop gross and fine motor skills, coordination, and an understanding of early learning concepts.

Participants will explore waterfalls, build with sand, design with play dough, and more.

At 1 p.m., is Recess!, which is just what it sounds like — games and group activities to get kids active and moving such as Simon says, red light green light, hula hoop and jump rope.
 
For elementary school kids who want to explore how to make a comic book, the library will offer Think It, Ink It, a workshop on writing and drawing comics at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, presented by a professional artist who has worked on The Simpsons and is sure to engage and inspire.

There are library programs for adults as well.

On Tuesday, the Central Library is host to the monthly Favorite Poem Readings at 5:15 p.m.

The YA for Grownups book club meets at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. This month’s book is the award-winning Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz.

The hiking series talk, which this month will explore Where to Find Mushrooms, is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

The Santa Barbara Public Library System is open for regular business hours at Central Library, Buellton, Carpinteria, Eastside, Goleta and Solvang libraries. Montecito Branch is closed until further notice due to the Thomas Fire mandatory evacuations.
 
As always, books, audiobooks, movies and music are available for checkout. Library patrons unable to come in can borrow electronic materials through Overdrive and Hoopla.
 
Central Library Schedule of Events Dec. 16-22 is as follows:

Saturday
Bilingual Storytime, 11:30 a.m.
Family Movie, 2 p.m.
Coding with Robots, 2 p.m.

Sunday
Curiosity Club: Making Magnetic Slime! 2 p.m.

Monday
Bilingual Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
Sensory Play, 11 a.m.
Recess!, 1 p.m.
Coding with Robots, 2 p.m.
Family Movie, 4 p.m.
Makerspace Open Lab, 4 p.m.

Tuesday
Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
Sensory Play, 11 a.m.
Recess!, 1 p.m.
Coding with Robots, 2 p.m.
Family Movie, 4 p.m.
Favorite Poem Readings, 5:15 p.m.
 
Wednesday
Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
Sensory Play, 11 a.m.
Recess!, 1 p.m.
Coding with Robots, 2 p.m.
Think It Ink It – Comics 101, 3:30 p.m.
Family Movie, 4 p.m.
YA for Grownups Book Club, 5:30 p.m.
 
Thursday
Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
Sensory Play, 11 a.m.
Recess!, 1 p.m.
Coding with Robots, 2 p.m.
Family Movie, 4 p.m.
Hiking Series – Where to Find Mushrooms, 6:30 p.m.
 
Friday
Music and Movement, 10:30 a.m.
Sensory Play, 11 a.m.
Family Movie, 12:30 p.m.
Friday Matinee – Dunkirk, 1 p.m.

Visit the Santa Barbara Public Library System online at SBPLibrary.org for information about library hours, locations, programs and services. All library programs are free and open to the public.

— Molly Wetta for city of Santa Barbara.