36th Annual Book Sale Canceled

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak we have sadly come to the decision to cancel the 2020 36th annual Book Sale in July.  At this time no book donations are being accepted for the inside book sale or the 2021 books sale.  Thank you for all of your support!

Call or email the library with questions, 802-253-4808 / [email protected]

 As always we thank you for your support!

2021 Spring Speaker Series 

In Our Own Backyard

Please stay tuned!  We have tentatively planned an exciting set of speakers for fall 2020!

Updated on May 22, 2020 at 4:00 pm

Hello all! The Library staff and I are happy to announce that we will be returning to the Library to work on offering extended services to our patrons. During this phase of the reopening of the economy and a lessening of the COVID-19 restrictions, only the staff will be allowed inside the Library building. We will recommission a book drop to allow for the return of items currently borrowed from the Library, and we will begin working on logistics for the implementation of a curbside service, which will allow for the ongoing circulation of library materials. Since there have been concerns voiced about the inability to return borrowed items, we felt it was most prudent to begin that process before accepting requests for the borrowing of new items. Stocking the shelves with the returned items and those items purchased during the lockdown will widen the availability of items to be requested.

LIBRARY MATERIAL RETURNS

• Returns will be accepted beginning on May 26^th.

• Drop returns in the Library’s book drop on the front porch.

CURBSIDE SERVICE

• Requests for library materials will be accepted beginning on June 8^th.

• Call 253-6145 or email [email protected] for library material requests.

• Packaged materials will be available for pickup on the front porch, Monday through Friday, at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

On Tuesday, May 26^th, we will begin accepting returned library materials. All borrowed items have been automatically updated to reflect a due date of June 1^st. Please do not be concerned with this date at this time, as overdue fines have been suspended and the date was assigned mostly for internal purposes. We expect the majority of the items to be returned in the next few weeks, and we will not be contacting individuals regarding overdue items during this initial phase.

To better facilitate the disinfecting and quarantining of library materials, only the book drop located in the front of the building will be available for returns, and it will be maintained throughout the day. As we expect an initial influx of items, we will also have bins located on the front porch by the book drop to accommodate any overflow. As mentioned, in the effort to ensure the safe transfer of library materials, we will wipe down items with isopropyl alcohol and quarantine them for 72 hours before returning them to the bookshelves.

On Monday, June 8^th, we will begin curbside service, i.e. accepting requests for library items. At that time, patrons can request items through email, [email protected], or by phone, 802-253-6145, during the hours of 9 to 5:00, Monday through Friday. (Note that the hold/reserve option is not available to patrons online through the library catalog at this time.) Staff members will be assisting individuals with requests through phone and email and will relay information about the availability status of requested items. If items are available for loan, staff members will pull these items, check them out in the library system to the patron, and package them up for pick up. Be aware that the 1-week (for new DVDs) or the 2-week (for other items) checkout period begins once the items have been packaged.

To ensure a contact-free “delivery”, the packaged items will only be available for pickup during scheduled times of the day. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 15 minutes on the even hour, 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m., requested items, accompanied by a safely distanced staff member, will be available for pickup on the Library’s front porch. Items that are not picked up within a particular 15-minute time period will be brought back into the Library and then brought back out on the next even hour. Items that are not picked up within 3 days will be checked back in and returned to the Library bookshelves.

We hope that these procedural parameters will not be prohibitive or confusing, but we want to ensure social distancing and the safe handling of materials. If special circumstances arise, especially for seniors and /or those with mobility restrictions, feel free to contact us for assistance. We will do our best to accommodate individual needs.

The staff and I look forward to offering curbside service to you, our valued patrons. We ask that you return the items currently checked out, and please allow us the next two weeks to prepare for curbside, a staff intensive service. We are very happy to be part of the Stowe community and to serve the needs of our patrons. Stay safe and keep reading!

Yours truly,

Cindy Weber, SFL Director