HUNTINGTON BEACH : Library to Open Children’s Wing

The Friends of the Children’s Library plans a variety of activities next week to celebrate the long-awaited opening of the children’s wing at the Huntington Beach Central Library.

The free activities include visits by children’s authors, clowns and special performances by dance and performing arts groups.

They are scheduled on Jan. 8, the day of the official opening, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin the program in front of the Central Library at 7111 Talbert Ave.

The 16,000-square-foot children’s wing is the largest municipally operated children’s library west of Chicago, according to Library Director Ron Hayden.

It is part of an $8.5-million, 43,000-square-foot expansion at the library.

Other new facilities include a media and computer room, the Friends’ Gift Shop, a 319-seat library theater, five meeting rooms and the Tabby Storytime Theater.

The theater is named in honor of Tabby Brock, a former member of the Friends of the Children’s Library who left an estate of $375,000 to the library children’s wing when she died several years ago, a library spokesman said.

T-shirts commemorating the debut will be on sale and special bookmarks will be given to children at the grand opening.

The Huntington Beach High School of Performing Arts chamber group and the Orange County Dance Studio will be featured in programs.

Also, four Huntington Beach authors of children’s books--Les Kelly, John Gardiner, June O’Connell and Alison Jackson--will autograph books and visit with their young readers.

The sea serpent mascot of the children’s wing, Reada, will be on hand to greet children.

There also will be clowns, storytelling and treasure hunts.