The St. Charles Parish Library will host Animal Tales, an interactive animal experience, at all six branches this month.
The program introduces audiences to a variety of animals, including exotic birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and more. Presenters will involve audience members in the program with short skits and verbal participation.
Lauren Campo Pitz, assistant director of the library, said attendees will also have an opportunity to pet and interact with some of the animals.
“Each show ends up being a little different because the animals, unlike the presenters, don’t have a script,” she said.
She said the show is popular with children and families because people enjoy connecting with the natural world.
“Being able to interact with animals that they may have only seen pictures or videos of allows our patrons to learn about nature and animals that they don’t always have a chance to see in their habitats,” Pitz said.
Seating is limited in the meeting rooms, so patrons are advised to arrive early to secure a spot. Parents are also encouraged to pay attention to the presenters’ instructions about when children are allowed to pet the animals.
“We’ve noticed that younger children can sometimes be uncomfortable around animals that they are not familiar with,” Pitz said.
Pitz said the library has seen strong attendance at other special guest programs this summer. Crescent Circus attracted more than 300 people across its six performances, while Bright Star Theater drew about 200 people across its six performances. The Ballet Images performance, Johnette Downing, and MaMa SaBa also drew nice crowds to the library, Pitz said.
“We do think that these special programs help introduce new families to the library,” Pitz said. “We know that it can be a little overwhelming to visit a new place where you might not know what is expected of you, so visiting the library to see performances by special guests helps make visiting the library a little less intimidating. We also do what we can to help make everyone feel welcome every time that they visit the library, whether it’s their first time or they’ve been visiting for decades.”
Patrons can catch the Animal Tales program July 21 at the Hahnville Branch at 10:30 a.m., the Paradis Branch at 2 p.m. and the West Regional Library at 6 p.m. The program continues July 22 at the St. Rose Branch at 10:30 a.m., the Norco Branch at 2 p.m. and the East Regional Library at 6 p.m.
