Letter from the Director re:Corona Closing

What a pain in the neck this quarantine situation is! It is frustrating on so many levels.

But, isn’t our number one sentiment always a wish for a long and healthy life?
Saol Fada – Irish
Lunga Vita – Italian

Together we will get through this.

Like the rest of the community – like the rest of the world! – the Library must take all the precautions we are able to help stop the spread of this virus.

The Library is closed at least until March 30, and we have severely minimized access to the building for Library staff as well. Our cleaning company is disinfecting the building by the methods outlined by the CDC. This includes all the countertops, tables, chairs, and other hard surfaces. Toys from the Children’s Area have also been removed.

Our lending collection is also being quarantined! During the next few weeks when an item is returned to the Library, it is being separated from the rest of the collection for at least three days. No one will handle the items during that time. When we reopen at the end of March, or whenever we do, we want to assure you we will have a clean, safe space for you to visit and share with your family.

One odd thing that will happen is regarding your current “holds” on library material – they will all disappear. As of Tuesday, March 17, the ability to place holds will be temporarily ended, and previously held material will go into your cancelled-holds list. I am so sorry.

If you have something on hold at this time, sadly that hold will no longer be honored. It is a technical thing – our lending software cannot seem to counteract the problem. To retrieve holds once we have reopened, hold requests must be resubmitted either in person at the library or on-line from the on-line catalog.

We have put into place a few things we hope will help us all get through the next few weeks with a few less concerns.

• Your Library books, movies, and audio material due dates have been extended to
April 15. If the Library is closed for a longer period of time, that date will change.
• If your library card was due to expire in the next few months, it will not expire until
June 30.
• If your card already expired, submit a request to scraine@mountjoy.lib.pa.us so we
can review your status.
• If you are looking for some cool new reading, check out Overdrive. Try reading and
listening to books on your tablets, smart phones, e-readers, or computers. The service
is free! We are beefing up this county-wide service with over $6000 of new material
in March due to the expected increase in demand.
• Our e-resources include Tumblebooks. Share these picture books with your children.
• Digital Resources available on our website bring a wealth of informational and crazy
fun resources to your home.
• Keep your eye on our Facebook Page and Instagram for activities with Miss Jan
and a few STEM challenges you can try at home.
• You finally have time to brush up on a foreign language! Look over Pronunciator and
start planning the vacation of your dreams.
• WiFi is still free in our parking lot.
• For those of you not on social media, we are in the process of creating a page on our
website so that you have access to information that we post on social media. For now,
visit the “Library News” tab on our website’s Home Page.

Things you can do to help us.
• If you are sick, stay home.
• Do not bring your library material back. Quarantine it too!
• Do not leave your library books, DVD’s, CD’s or donations outside of the book drop.
• Like us on Facebook – we will share good, authoritative news on the COVID 19
pandemic.

As we continue to keep you connected the best that we can, we also look forward to all of the wonderful programs for all ages – including adults! – that are coming up this summer as part of the annual Summer Reading Program. The Library, at least not our library, is not meant to be the quiet place it is right now…it’s meant to inspire the quest for knowledge, encourage imaginations, build relationships, and provide information to its community. We will be here for all of that and more when this is over. Thank you so much for understanding. We will all get through this together.

We will all get through this together.
Yours respectfully,

Barbara
Director of Milanof-Schock Library