A Statement from the Director
UPDATE: February 17, 2021
And we’re back to Express Service. Thank you to everyone out there doing their part to bring Orange County’s number back down. Since January 11, we’ve gone from 89.5 new cases per 100,000 residents to 25.5 new cases per 100,000 residents. That’s still not a good number, but I think we can all be glad that it is better than it was!
So, that means our doors are open and you can come inside to browse once more or to use a computer. Visits must be completed in under and hour and masks that properly cover your nose and mouth are absolutely mandatory for everyone over 2 years of age; if you cannot wear a mask for whatever reason, please call us and we will happily bring your items out to your car for you.
If you aren’t sure what you want to read, that’s okay, we can help with that, too. We have an online Readers’ Advisory service that will let you give us a lot of details about what you like to read and we’ll make suggestions for what to read next. We also launched our Book Bundles service, which is like one of those curated shopping boxes that are so popular right now; give us some really broad hints (or choose “Surprise Me!”) and we’ll pick the items for you and put them all together for you to check out.
Don’t forget our great online programming on Facebook, YouTube, and Zoom. Just visit our online calendar for the details.
Will we go back to curbside service only again? I don’t know. I hope not. But, that really depends on everyone continuing to pull together to overcome COVID-19. Please keep wearing your masks, staying physically distant from others, making safe choices about where and how to go out, and getting vaccinated if and when you can.
See you soon at the Library!
Stacie
UPDATE: January 11, 2021
It’s a new year! With the turning of the calendar comes hope, as new vaccines are making their way into the hands of our health care providers. Seniors throughout Florida can now sign up to get a vaccine; in Orange County, you can register here and in Seminole County, here (tip: check very first thing in the morning for same-day cancellations).
With the hope, though, is suffering. Cases are currently spiking. Here in Orange County, we had 1,025 new cases yesterday and our positivity rate is a very high 12.5% (source: Orange County Government). Local hospitals are curbing elective care.
Accordingly, we are pulling back here at the Maitland Public Library. I want to make sure my staff and you are safe. For now, congregating at the Library means exposing staff and patrons to carriers of COVID-19. Effective January 12, 2021, we’ll be going back to curbside delivery of materials only.
Please check our catalog and place items on hold there, or you can call us at 407-647-7700. We’ll happily help you find your next great read. You can also use our online advice form to get suggestions; you tell us what you like and we’ll suggest new things for you. We’re also be providing document services, like copy, fax, and printing; just call us and let us know you’re here.
We will continue to produce great video content for adults and kids, on Facebook and our new YouTube channel. Book clubs, heartfulness meditation, and writing workshops all meet via Zoom; you can find links on our online calendar.
Please, stay safe out there. The safer everyone is outside the Library, the sooner we can welcome you back inside.
Stacie
*****
UPDATE: August 11, 2020
Well, we’re back! Again. Cases in Orange County are better today than they were at the end of June, and that is a very good thing. A lot of why new cases have decreased is that we are all being better at looking out for one another, wearing masks when in public and staying home when we can. We’ve still got a long way to go until we can relax our vigilance, but it’s encouraging that we can make a difference if we all pitch in.
Today, the Library returns to Express Service. That means you can come inside, browse the shelves, and check out your materials at the desk. If you need to use a computer, we’re offering one 45-minute session per person. We do not have any study or meeting space available inside the building, though you’re welcome to use our Wifi in the courtyard or even in the front parking lot.
One thing we’re going to be very firm on is the wearing of masks. If you’re over two years of age, you must wear a mask properly over your nose and mouth in order to enter or remain in the building. If you cannot wear a mask, for whatever reason, please call us and we’ll happily help you choose items then deliver them to you curbside. Please don’t give the staff a hard time about wearing a mask; they’re following the executive order issued by Orange County on June 21 and just trying to keep everyone here safe so that we can remain open to serve you.
Take a look at our online calendar. You’ll find a growing number of virtual programs for kids and adults, from art clubs to book clubs to mediation and yoga. There’s something for everyone and we’re looking for more great ways to bring you the classes and experiences you’ve come to love at the Maitland Public Library. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook for lots of great on demand videos, like story time and cooking demos, too!
We’ve missed seeing you inside and we’re looking forward to saying Hi in person again! Wear a mask, wash your hands, maintain social distance, and help us all get through to better days.
Stacie
*****
UPDATE: June 26, 2020
The world can be a frightening place. Orange County is seeing a dramatic surge in the number of cases of COVID-19, including here in Maitland.
In an abundance of caution, to keep both staff and patrons safe, the Library will be returning to curbside-only services on Saturday, June 27.
All library users are able to place holds through our online catalog or by calling the Library at 407-647-7700. Even if you aren’t sure what items you’re looking for, the Reference Librarian on duty can make some suggestions and connect you to your next great read. You can also use our online advice form to get suggestions; you tell us what you like and we’ll suggest new things for you.
Please be safe. Wear your mask, keep distance from one another, and wash your hands. We have to do this all together to get through it, so please do your part. We’ll be here for you, even if we have to keep your car’s window glass between us for a while.
Stacie
*****
UPDATE: June 2, 2020
We are back! Not quite like we used to be, but back to help you in person. The Library is currently open for express services. What does that mean, exactly? Come inside, browse the shelves, and find your next read. We have limited computers available for 45 minutes per day and we ask you to keep your whole visit under an hour. Please wear a mask if you are able to do so. We do not have any study or meeting space available at this time.
Do you love curbside service? That’s great! Curbside services aren’t going away even when COVID-19 finally does. Just give us a call from the parking lot to let us know you’re here and we’ll bring your arrived holds right out to you.
What are we doing to keep you safe in the building? We are sanitizing all high-touch surfaces like door handles and bathroom fixtures regularly throughout the day. Computer keyboards and mice are sanitized between each user. All Library staff are wearing masks in the building and we ask every patron to wear one, too, if they’re able. There’s a hand sanitizer dispenser in the lobby and please be sure to wash your hands regularly.
We are still quarantining all checked-in materials for three days. These items will stay on your account during that time, but we backdate the check-in to the day you really did return them so you won’t accrue additional fines for those days if you turned in your items late (you will still be responsible for any fines for any days you were late, though).
Summer Reading has gone virtual for 2020! Imagine Your Story, online. We have programs for kids and adults both. Check out www.maitlandpubliclibrary.org/srp-2020 for all the details. Don’t forget to pick up kids’ goodie bags while you’re here.
Be sure to keep an eye on the calendar. Some of our classes, like our weekly yoga program, learn to crochet, and the Books to Die for book club have gone virtual for now. Links to those classes are all on the calendar. In-person classes and meetings are currently on hold while we use the meeting room for quarantine space.
Stay safe out there. Wash your hands frequently. Enjoy your summer reading!
Cheers,
Stacie
*****
UPDATE: May 4, 2020
Oh, how we have missed all of you! Like many of you, our staff has been working hard from home to keep answering your questions, getting you downloadable materials, and producing great programs for you on our Facebook page.
The Governor has begun the process of reopening Florida, and that means we’re in Phase I of our own reopening. Starting Tuesday, May 5, the Library will be open regular hours, for curbside delivery only. You’ll be able to place holds on items through the online catalog or by calling us at 407-647-7700. When we notify you that your hold is ready for pick-up, come on over, show your library card through the window, and we’ll pop your items in the trunk for you.
To help protect you, staff, and other patrons, when you return items, we will quarantine them for 72 hours before letting them circulate again. Don’t worry, even though the items will show on your account for that time, you won’t be charged any fines for those days, even if you’re already overdue. We want to make sure that everyone is comfortable and safe checking items out from the Library.
For now, we won’t be allowing anyone into the building while we work to make it safe and to ensure that social distancing protocols can be met, between staff and patrons and among patrons themselves. Only once we’re sure it’s safe for you to come inside will we move on to the next phase of our reopening.
We all miss seeing you, especially our story time families who come every single week! Keep visiting our Facebook page for more great story times, crafts, cooking demos, book reviews, and more. Until we can gather here together again, we’ll see you at home, online.
All the best,
Stacie
*****
UPDATE: March 18, 2020
A passion to serve. That is what brings the staff of the Maitland Public Library to work each day. You see that passion and I hear your appreciation of it in our interactions. Helping you find the information you need, seeing a child discover the joy of reading, building lifelong learners, that’s what we do and what we love.
That passion is what has made this decision so very hard – a true reluctance to seem to step away from doing what we do best. But, the coronavirus disease is a threat to us all. The very best way to keep this threat at bay is to come together as a community and agree to, well, not come together for a while. Medical care and hospital resources are finite; they can only serve so many people at one time. So let’s #flattenthecurve and do our best to keep the numbers of people sick at one time low. Accordingly, the Maitland Public Library is closed effective March 18, 2020, and will remain closed until it is safe for us, as staff and as a community, to reopen. All classes, programs, and meetings, including story time, are canceled through April 30, 2020.
Your librarians are working hard from home to keep you engaged and learning at this time. Miss Mary and Miss Kami will be reading stories on our Facebook page, there are many resources for fun activities for the whole family here on our site, and of course we have a world of opportunities online, from downloadable books and magazines to learning a new language to getting help with homework that might never have been online before. You’ve come to the right place.
If you currently have any items checked out, don’t worry. Nothing will be due until we reopen. If you want to turn them in as you finish, go ahead and drop them off in our silver bookdrop out front; staff will still be checking in items as they come in.
Keep safe, my friends. Wash your hands. Keep your distance from each other, knowing you do it to protect those around you. Stay strong and we’ll all get through this, together, even if we’re apart.
Stacie
*****
MARCH 13, 2020: Library staff have been closely monitoring developments with the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC and other health experts strongly advise that people refrain from unnecessary social interaction during this crisis, to avoid person-to-person spread of the disease.
Accordingly, all events, classes, programs (including story time), and meetings scheduled to take place at the Maitland Public Library from March 14 through at least March 31 are hereby canceled. This includes not only the offerings of the Library but also all public reservations of meeting room space. The bookstore is also closed until further notice.
As much as I believe in the programming offered by the Library, and its value to our community, the health and safety of patrons and staff must take precedence. We will resume our excellent slate of offerings only when it is safe to do so.
In the meantime, Library staff stand ready to assist all patrons with their information needs. The Library will maintain its scheduled hours and collections will circulate as normal. Staff have increased their efforts to sanitize hard surfaces such as door knobs and handles, installed a hand sanitizer dispenser next to the lobby bathrooms, and are encouraging all patrons to engage in good hand hygiene to help prevent infection from contaminated surfaces.
The Library has a large collection of downloadable materials, including books, magazines, and audiobooks, to help those who choose not to go into public at this time. Please contact the Library for assistance accessing these materials or visit our website (link).
For current information about COVID-19 in our community, visit City of Maitland (link). Please be safe during this time.
Stacie A. Larson, MSLS
Director, Maitland Public Library
The library is now offering curbside services.
Services are available during regular operating hours.
E-books, audiobooks, magazines, and digital resources are available 24/7 online.
www.maitlandpubliclibrary.com
What is Curbside Delivery?