New London library draws people in with Elf in a Box escape room

NEW LONDON - The H.J. Nugen Public Library in New London saw an influx of visitors last week as people flocked to the library to solve puzzles during the Elf in a Box escape room event.

Taelor Donnolly, assistant director for the library, said the library just started doing escape rooms this year and did two during the summer. She said each time it runs for one week, Monday through Saturday and 18 time slots are available.

Donnolly said an escape room is like a large puzzle where participants are put in a room with a series of hidden clues and riddles they have to solve in 45 minutes or less. She said the theme for this room was Christmas spirit and the goal was to unlock the answer that would open the box of elves who wanted to get out and decorate for Christmas.

She said the escape room had a great turnout over the summer and again this time with more than 50 people stopping in. Donnolly said there was a healthy mix of new and old faces, which is great for the library.

Finding free things to do and offer for families can be difficult, but she said she hoped by offering programs like the escape room people would think about coming to the library not only for books but for fun as well.

'It's important for libraries to stay connected to the communities and the people in them. By bringing popular events to the library it draws more people in,” she said.