The Library Board and Library staff, in consultation with City of Redlands officials, have been closely following developments associated with the COVID-19 virus. This afternoon Redlands City Manager Charlie Duggan declared a state of emergency in our community, www.cityofredlands.org. Part of that declaration includes direction that the A.K. Smiley Public Library and the Lincoln Memorial Shrine should close immediately until April 30. Although this is a difficult decision, the Library Board and I fully support the city manager’s decision. The health and safety of our patrons and staff needs to be our primary consideration during this challenging time.
Late fees will be waived for any material that is due between now and April 30. Nonetheless, if you are able to travel to the library, we request that you continue to drop off all library material (including DVDs) in our book drop. We are working on establishing an appointment only method of distributing books and DVDs to our patrons who are able to come to the library. Please check our website or Facebook in the coming days for information on this potential option.
For those who are unable to visit the library in person, we would like to remind you again about the library’s electronic resources which are available 24/7 from home to all library cardholders. Patrons can download eBooks or audiobooks available from Overdrive on your home computer, tablet or phone. If you have young children at home, BookFlix is a valuable tool. This is an online resource that pairs classic video storybooks with related non-fiction eBooks to encourage a love of reading and learning for grades PreK – 3. For those looking for a magazine to read without leaving home, check out Flipster, a digital magazine service with 18 titles for adults and children. Finally check our eLibrary tab for other electronic databases, including access to the digital version of the New York Times. The library’s website has full details, www.akspl.org.
Thank you for your support of AK Smiley Public Library. We regret the inconvenience caused by the necessity to temporarily close. Together we will get through this crisis and look forward to the day when we can fully restore our services.
Sincerely.
Don McCue
Library Director