Author: System Administrator

Library Reopens Monday, January 25, 2021

General News

We are happy to announce that we will be opening our doors again starting Monday, January 25, 2021! Here’s the press release from our Director.

NEWS RELEASE

Date: January 15, 2021
CONTACT: Julie Yockey, Director
Carthage Public Library, 417-237-7040

Carthage Public Library to Re-Open Its Doors along with our new Steadley Family Legacy Building Makerspace

(Carthage) The Carthage Public Library Board of Trustees, Director, and Staff are excited to be able to share with the public our big announcement that after 7 sad, grueling, stressful months we will again open our doors to the public. We thank our patrons, community leaders, family, and friends for showing us so much concern and help during the time of the disastrous water leak. Truly a disaster, not one area of our beautiful library was untouched in some way. Working together with contractors, insurance, and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, anything and everything that had to be repaired took extra time. Thank you for your patience and for using the alternate delivery methods we had available to meet your needs. Some of those methods were a huge success and will remain to be offered.

On January 25th the doors to the main Library will be open at 9:00am. The following strict guidelines will be in place due to the continued rise in COVID-19 cases in our country. These guidelines are Board approved and will be re-evaluated after March 31, 2021.

Library Hours:
Monday-Friday 9am-6pm
Saturday 9am-1pm

ALL persons entering the Library from the age of 5 and up are REQUIRED to wear a mask. If you are unable to wear a mask, please call the Library at 417-237-7040 for services we can safely provide outside the Library. Strict social distancing practices will be in place and we ask that you not visit the Library if you are or have been sick.

All patrons will be allowed 30 minutes inside the Library and it is suggested that one person per family come in to pick up materials.

There will be no community events or on-site programming until further notice. All furniture and children’s manipulatives and toys will be removed.

Curbside services will continue to be offered. Contact the Library for assistance.

Steadley Family Legacy Building and Makerspace:

A celebration Ribbon Cutting was held on December 15th for our new Makerspace and educational building built with the funds from the K.D. and M.L. Steadley Trust. The building is full of wonderful opportunities for all people in our community. The following guidelines will be in place until March 31st.

HOURS:
Monday-Tuesday 11am-6pm
Wednesday-Thursday 9am-6pm
Saturday-2 Saturdays a month/see Library website or call the Library

ALL persons entering the Steadley building from the age of 5 and up are REQUIRED to wear a mask.

A maximum of 5 people will be allowed for one hour increments. You will need to call the Library to schedule an appointment.

Julie Yockey, Director.

End of the Year Closings

General News

Press Release from our Director, November 23, 2020

Press Release Nov. 23

In order to help protect and ensure the health and wellness of our library staff, and due to the increase in the cases of COVID-19, the Carthage Public Library will be closed on the following dates:

November 26 – December 2
Book Drop will be open.

December 23 – January 1
Book Drop locked – hold on to your materials until January 2.

Curbside services will be used between the dates of December 3 – December 22, 2020. Please call the Library for assistance placing and picking up holds, emailing, sending faxes, etc. The parking lot and garden areas are great sources for free Wi-Fi access. Don’t forget that we have thousands of e-books available with your library card.

Unless you already have fines/overdues your materials will not accrue any new fines during these extended closures.

Julie Yockey, Director

Amnesty Mode On Overdues & Lost Items Until October 1, 2020

General News

Do you have overdue books from last March that you haven’t been able to return because of COVID and our building closures, or even longer-overdue items in good condition that you’re afraid to bring back because of fines and fees? Great news! We’re currently operating in “Amnesty Mode” for the rest of the month. Bring your overdue or lost-status books to our book drop by October 1st, 2020, and we’ll waive fines and fees on your returns as long as they’re in good circulating condition.

Press Release from our Director July 30, 2020

General News

The Carthage Public Library

July 30, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: A message from the Director

Due to the tremendous amount of water damage the Library endured on July 12, the Library is not safe to open fully to the public at this time. This event has deeply saddened us, and we are working very diligently with our contractor and the insurance company to try to get the building put back in an organized and safe manner as soon as we can. The heaviest damage was in our beautiful original Carnegie Library on the second floor which includes Reference, Genealogy, periodicals, and audio visuals, and in the basement which houses our community room, IT office and storage. Due to the age of the original building and its unique architecture, extremely careful measures for drying and repairing it are in place.

Thankfully, the Library was already in curb-side service mode due to precautions against the community spread of COVID-19. I couldn’t be more proud of my staff, as they have pitched in and worked extremely hard to make safe, clean workspaces where they can actually provide some limited services curbside. They are answering the phones from 9-5 daily and 9-1 on Saturdays. Please call the Library for requests for materials or log on to your Carthage Public Library account to place requests online yourself. We are also able to offer you help with copies, faxes and emails just by calling the Library as well. We are not charging fines at this time, and we will let you know with plenty of time when those will begin again. Free WiFi is still available in our parking lot. We have had a wonderful Summer Reading Program despite the COVID-19 situation. Stay tuned for Ms. Sherri’s invitation to come and pick up your rewards!

We have such wonderful friends of the library. We thank all of you who have called, emailed, stopped by to see if you could help, or to see if we needed anything. Carthage is full of such generous, caring people who love their library and want to see her ready to roll again! We promise, as soon as we can, we will have both the original library and the new Steadley Legacy Center open to the public.

Stay safe and check us out online or give us a call.

Julie Yockey,

Director

Press release July 30

Library Building Closed, Curbside Resuming

General News

The Carthage Public Library building is closed until further notice. Along with the recent rise of COVID cases in the community, we had a major sprinkler leak in the middle of the night that unfortunately damaged the building as well as some of our materials. Despite the pandemic and building damage, we have adjusted our workflow and we are resuming curbside service effective Tuesday, July 21. Our bookdrop also will be reopening that day for your returns. If you have any questions, please give us a call at 417-237-7040 during operating hours. Thank you for your patience.

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