A group of children (with two adults) just came tiptoeing through the library. I have no idea who they were or how they got in, since everyone has to swipe a card to get in. I guess the circulation people must have let them through–but why? There are a lot of people in the library lately, what with the summer term having started, as well as all the research assistants being in the thick of work.

I’m a little weirded out. If they had been prospective students, that would have been one thing. Or even college students. But they were in the 9-to-11 range.

Come to think of it, that’s the second group of children in that age range I’ve seen out and about during the week. I guess the week before July 4 is a popular vacation time. Yesterday, while I waited for my train, five kids and three parents swarmed the platform, in shorts, sandals, and at least one fanny pack. The dad was showing two kids how to read the train map, while a third one played on the dirty ground (and his mother admonished him not to touch his face after that, upon which he promptly picked his nose). And I thought then, what are these kids doing here? It’s a WEDNESDAY! I mean, yeah, they don’t have school, but don’t their parents have to work? And if the parents are on vacation, why this week?

Maybe it’s just that we always took our vacations over July 4 week, or in August. I guess in my mind, you need either a national holiday or the impending threat of school starting back up to warrant a week playing tourist.

I still don’t know why any kid on vacation would want to wander through the law library, though.