However, if one goes to the James Prendergast Library, on a Wednesday afternoon, chances are it will be packed – with people doing things other than reading or checking out books.

The building located at 509 Cherry St. hosts a weekly community-based program that started June 31 and will run until Aug. 21, entitled Community Days at the Library. The program runs every Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The program consists of Story Time at the Library; free lunch (for children) provided by the Jamestown Area YMCA; visits by the Mobile Market, the Jamestown Fire Department, arts and crafts and other outdoor activities. The program is free of charge and open to the public.

By all accounts staff at the library are reporting upwards growth in program attendance.

“We’re seeing growth with our Community Days program,” said Jen Champ, the library’s special projects and facility manager. “Today, we had between 100 and 150 people attend.”

From left, Zayda Rahim, 3, of Jamestown and her friend, Phoenix Beeson, 5 of Jamestown engage in some outdoor playtime Wednesday, during -play time at the Community Days at the Library program, held at the James Prendergast Library, at 509 Cherry St. P-J photo by Christopher Blakeslee

Library Associate Oliver Chenard added, “We had 70 kids attend our Story Time program, and after that, 30 more showed up for lunch and additional programming.”

The interactive nature of the program seems to have resonated well with some of the program’s more youthful attendees.

“It’s so much fun here,” said Phoenix Beeson, 5, of Jamestown. “I come and play with my friends.”

For the top executive at the library, Anne Green, it’s all about positive energy and making sure the library stays a vibrant and relevant source of support for the community.

“It’s been nothing but positive energy,” she said. “I love seeing and making sure that we ( at the library) continue to provide the highest-quality, relevant and wanted programming for our community. We continue to support the advancement of literacy through our adult, teen and children’s reading programs and continue to engage the results using quantifiable data.”

For more information visit prendergastlibrary.org.