News

Read On! New Normal

April 7, 2020

I’m writing this article while sitting in my living room with my kids. My son is playing a video game and is only slightly annoyed every time I tell him to back away from the TV screen. My daughter is playing a farm/math game on her tablet and is so excited every time the game gives her a star. 

I’ve got 9 tabs open in my internet browser and am messaging with my staff through our email’s chat feature. This seems to be our new normal, at least for a while, and it’s working, but it’s hard to get used to. I’m an introvert most of the time, but I definitely prefer being face-to-face to collaborate with the library’s staff and community. 

While the library is closed to the public, we’re still working hard to provide as many services to our community as possible. We’re posting resources and fun stuff on our Facebook page and are working on a resource page on our website. The Youth Services staff is working on storytimes that can be broadcast online (so many authors and publishers have released their copyrights to let that happen). We’ve started signing people up for digital cards so they can access ebooks, downloadable audiobooks, digital magazines, and streaming videos through Overdrive/Libby. And we’re brainstorming ways to have online crafting workshops.

We’re still answering phones, emails, and messages via social media, so if you need some one-on-one help with a resource, we’re still available! Our phone-answering hours are our normal library hours Mon & Thurs 1 – 9 PM; Tues, Wed, Fri 9 – 5 PM; Sat 9 – noon.  

We definitely miss having everyone in the building! We miss your faces and your stories. We miss talking about what we’re all reading and enjoying. We miss being with our community! 

Please take care of yourselves so that when this is all over we can get caught up!