The Adams County Public Library would like to thank everyone for your continued patience and support during this public health crisis. Since the health and safety of both our staff and patrons is our highest priority, we decided to err on the side of caution regarding our reopening. However, we are pleased to announce that all our locations will begin accepting returns on Monday, June 15. Each building will remain closed, but patrons can use the exterior book drops to return books, DVDs, books on CD, and other library items. Due to item quarantining measures, these items will not immediately come off your account. The due dates for all our items have been extended to July 31 to reflect this timeline so your account does not become blocked. In addition, remember that we are a fine free library, so even if your items become overdue, as long as you return them in good condition, you will not be charged.
All Adams County Public Library locations will reopen with curbside pickup and drive-thru services only on Monday, June 22. Each library branch will have different hours and days for these services, which are exclusively for the pickup of items placed on hold. The new operating hours for the Manchester Library are Tuesdays—11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Thursdays—3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; and Fridays—1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The operating hours for the North Adams Library are Mondays—11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Wednesdays—3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; and Fridays—1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The new hours for the Peebles Library are Tuesdays—3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Thursdays—11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; and Fridays—1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Lastly, the new operating hours for the West Union Library are Mondays—3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Wednesdays—11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; and Fridays—1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. All Adams County Public Library branches will be closed Saturday and Sunday. We will be offering a curbside meal service program starting on June 22, with more information to come.
We will be doing a phased reopening approach, in which curbside services is the first step. Once we are prepared to begin reopening the library buildings to the public, everyone two-years-old and older will be required to wear masks, both staff and patrons. For those of you who do not have access to masks, we will provide them to you at no cost. If you have a health or religious reason that makes you unable to wear a mask, we will ask you to display this reasoning, after which we will gladly accommodate. Masks are not required for curbside pickup; however, social distancing is required for each stage of reopening in an effort to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved.
Also starting Monday, June 15 is our 2020 Summer Reading Program! This year’s “Imagine Your Story”-themed program will be entirely online using the Beanstack app and website, which you can sign-up and track your reading with. Beanstack also has a list of fun activities you can do with cool virtual badges you can earn! This year you’ll track the amount of hours you spend reading in order to win a completion prize. The completion goals for each age group are Kids (Ages 0-9) = 10 hours; Teens (Ages 10-17) = 16 hours; and Adults (Ages 18+) = 20 hours. To kick off the Summer Reading Program, the Adams County Public Library in collaboration with the WAVE Foundation at the Newport Aquarium will host a four-day “Virtual Aquatic Adventures” program featuring live Zoom presentations of four different aquatic creatures: penguins, crocodiles, stingrays, and sharks. The Zoom details for each presentation will be released the morning of each program on our Adams County Public Library (Ohio) Facebook page in the discussion portion of the “Virtual Aquatic Adventures” event page. There is a limit of 100 viewers each day, so be sure to join quickly once the link is open, although there will be a virtual waiting room available for each program. These presentations will last from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and the dates and program themes are as follows: Monday, June 15–Penguins: Aquatic Fliers; Tuesday, June 16–Croc Talk; Wednesday, June 17–Stingray Studies; and Thursday, June 18–Science of Sharks. This event is supported by the State Library of Ohio with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
For updates and digital resources, please check our social media and website: adamscolibrary.org.
