Central Library

Guinness World Records’ largest domestic cat will make a special appearance at the Huntington Beach Central Library’s Tabby Storytime Theater. Scarlett’s Magic, an F1 Savannah cat who is 17 inches from shoulder to toe, will join children March 18 during the library’s weekly Crafty Kids Club Storytime for an afternoon of reading and craft making. She will be sitting with the audience as storyteller Danielle Walker reads “Skippyjon Jones,” an award-winning book by Judith Byron Schachner about a big-eared Siamese cat who believes he is a Chihuahua.

The Huntington Beach Public Library is having abbreviated hours at the Central Library and closing its branches over the holiday. On Christmas Eve, the Central Library and the Murphy branch will be open from 9 a.m. to noon. The Main Street and Oak View branches will be open from 10 a.m. to noon, and the Banning Branch will be closed. All locations will be closed Christmas through Dec. 27. The Central Library will reopen 1 to 6 p.m. Dec. 28 and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 29 and 30. Toddler Storytime is canceled Dec. 29. The Central Library will be open 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 31. All locations will be closed Jan. 1 to 3. — Britney Barnes

The City Council is having a special meeting Friday at the Central Library to address the budget shortfalls and what’s in store for Huntington Beach this year at its Strategic Planning Retreat. The council will review factors that will impact the city over the next year, discussing political, economic and environmental trends. Options for dealing with the budget shortfall will also be addressed, and the council will review the city’s three-year goals, creating a plan of action for each item.

The Huntington Beach Public Library is starting its Summer Reading Program with music, magic, marionettes and more. The Central Library will present the Festival of Folktales on June 29 to begin its Summer Reading Program "Make a Splash: Read!" The festival will feature musical storytelling, a Hullabaloo band sing-along concert and a steel-drum band. Fratello Marionettes will perform "The Frog Prince" and "Carnival of the Animals," and the Academy of International Dance will take the stage.

Send DATEBOOK items to the Huntington Beach Independent, 18682 Beach Blvd., Suite 160, Huntington Beach, CA 92648; fax to (714) 965-7174; call (714) 965-7176 or e-mail hbindy@latimes.com. Submissions must be received two weeks before publication. TODAY The Ultimate Laff-Down comedy competition will be hosted by Martini Blues. The show will begin at 8:30 p.m. at 5874 Edinger Ave. There will be a $5 cover charge and a $10 drink minimum. Information: (714)

Library hour reductions are beginning today in Huntington Beach as part of citywide budget cuts to fill a $4-million revenue shortfall. The Central Library will close Sundays, and the branches will be open only certain days to deal with a $95,000 cut to the library’s budget. All departments were asked to submit cuts to their budgets, said Councilman and library liaison Joe Carchio. “It’s not something the council or the director, Stephanie Beverage, wants to do,” Carchio said.

There is a lot to love about Huntington Beach. We have beautiful parks and beaches, great schools, and many great places to eat and shop. One of Huntington Beach’s greatest treasures is our library. In honor of National Library Week, I’ve found a few interesting statistics about our library and some solutions on how we can help keep services going despite tough economic times. Our Central Library serves 820,232 visitors annually, and thousands more are served at our four library branches.

As the old adage goes: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The same is true for the Huntington Beach Playhouse. For the last five years, the theater group has been operating out of the Central Library, putting on such successful shows as 'Harvey," "Evita" and "The Last Night of Ballyhoo."

Tariq Malik HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The Central Library's financial situation may mean more than balanced books for the Huntington Beach Playhouse -- it could mean the show will go on. The two groups were locked in lease negotiations over the use of the library's theater when the City Council forgave a $290,000 loan, meant to aid the library's expansion effort. "This is really good timing for the playhouse and us," said Ron Hayden, the city's director of library services.

City Hall and other city facilities will be closing their doors over the holidays to save an estimated $500,000. The City Council approved the closure of City Hall from Dec. 25 to Jan. 3 with the exception of fire, police and marine safety officials, who will operate as usual. The saving will come from a four-day furlough for employees during this time,. The Michael E. Rodgers Seniors Center, parts of the police station and the libraries are also going to shut down. The senior center will be closed from 1 p.m. Dec. 24. until Jan. 3, except for the New Year’s Eve Dance.

YOUR WEEKEND FRIDAY: Local bands The Good Fiction, Robots Rise, Lazy Preacher and Distorted Faces perform at Blue Café, 17208 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach. The 21-and-older show starts at 8 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.bluecafelive.com. SATURDAY: Alternative rock band Adam's Attic performs a free show from 7 to 9 p.m. at Bella Terra Mall, 7777 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, as part of the Summer Concert Series. For more information, visit http://www.

A troupe of stunt-performing river otters will show off their stuff July 14 at a special puppet show at the library. Swazzle Puppets will perform "River Otter Circus" at the Huntington Beach Central Library. The family of otters will perform dangerous stunts as the daredevil, ringmaster, animal trainer, trapeze artist and dreamer. There are still tickets left for the performance, and advanced ticket purchase is recommended. Tickets are $4. The performance is at 11 a.m. July 14 in the Huntington Beach Central Library's theater.

The Huntington Beach Public Library is starting its Summer Reading Program with music, magic, marionettes and more. The Central Library will present the Festival of Folktales on June 29 to begin its Summer Reading Program "Make a Splash: Read!" The festival will feature musical storytelling, a Hullabaloo band sing-along concert and a steel-drum band. Fratello Marionettes will perform "The Frog Prince" and "Carnival of the Animals," and the Academy of International Dance will take the stage.

Poseidon Resources, the company the City Council approved in 2006 to build a controversial water desalination plant in Huntington Beach, is seeking a second approval following a recent state ruling on cooling technology. Earlier this month, the State Water Resources Control Board voted to phase out once-through cooling, a process that involves drawing in and recycling seawater, in power plants across California. Poseidon had planned to build its facility next to the AES plant at 21730 Newland St. and use the plant's cooling system to bring in water.

Few American playwrights have rattled the walls of American theater so vociferously as Tennessee Williams, whose powerful body of work has Pulitzer Prizes for bookends. The first was for “A Streetcar Named Desire.” The second came for another searing drama, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” which is being revived with visceral fury at the Huntington Beach Playhouse. This “Cat” has been around the local block many times, including a stop here decades ago when Charlotte Mitchell excelled as the title character.

Children’s librarian and storyteller Barbara Richardson will be in her bathrobe and slippers as she presents stories and songs at this month’s Family Evening Pajama Storytime in honor of Children’s Book Week at the Huntington Beach Central Library. Richardson will be reading “Book! Book! Book!” by Deborah Bruss, “Read It, Don’t Eat It!” by Ian Schoenherr and more, as well as teaching songs from Barney, such as “The Library” and “Books are Great,” as part of an effort to encourage reading.