Libraries are quietly reopening their doors to the public.
The Jackson County Public Library in Seymour, Crothersville and Medora have reopened for patrons with limited hours and services after closing their doors six months ago.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic first forced shutdowns March 13, the library has tried to offer a wide variety of services, like virtual programs and access to e-books, online movies, courses and other data.
By the middle of May, library services extended to include no-contact curbside pickup service of reserved ordered books at all three locations with books quarantined for 72 hours after returned.
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Click here to purchase photos from this gallerySept. 18 was the first day the library allowed patrons back into the building.
“Visitors must properly wear masks inside all facilities and are asked to limit their visit to one hour,” Director Julia Aker said. “Also, visitors are requested to not reshelve materials but to place them on quarantine carts for further handling and cleaning by library staff.”
Aker said a limited number of public computers and circulating Chromebooks are available, and wireless internet will reach into the library parking lots for access before, during and after hours.
For staff and customer safety, hand sanitizing stations are provided throughout the facilities, seating is socially distanced and anyone visibly ill or coughing excessively may be asked to leave the building.
Library cardholders are still encouraged to use 24/7 online services for e-books, e-audiobooks, music and movies: OverDrive/Libby, hoopla and Kanopy.
The Discovery Bus also is back on the road with limited stops for porch drops and classroom collections. Donations for the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library, however, are not being accepted at this time.
“At this time, all programs are virtual on the library’s Facebook page and YouTube channel, meeting rooms and some restrooms remain closed to the public,” Aker said. “All teen and children’s activity areas are unavailable, the library is not accepting cash or charge payments and no food or drink is allowed.”
On request and if mask requirements cannot be met, the Crothersville and Medora libraries will continue the curbside pickup that started in May, and the Seymour Library will continue no-contact drive-thru window service.
Aker said visitors to the Seymour Library are encouraged to see the information services staff for a tour of the newly renovated upstairs, where everything was moved into a different place after carpet replacement during the closure.
Information Services Assistant Angi Cursey said literally everything on the second floor has changed.
“The desks have been reconfigured, our shelving has all been moved and we have five computers set up in the computer lab,” she said. “A couple are set up along the wall by the movie section, too, with the desks spaced at least 6 feet apart.”
Cursey said they changed the direction of shelving for the movies and music to help with the one-way flow of traffic down those aisles.
“There’s a special room for the magazines and periodicals, and I think it’s one of the best looking spots here,” she said. “We also have new carpeting, and I believe the other carpet was around 15 years old, so it was time.”
Nonfiction and biographies have been moved to a different location, too, with shorter shelving units so more light can go through and individual seating along the wall by the windows.
Information Services Manager Janet Hensen said they also created a traffic flow for fiction, sci-fi and mystery, and the teen room is closed for now.
“A few extra computers that were in the teen room have been moved out here on the main floor and can be used by adults, too,” Hensen said. “All the tables up here except maybe one are near an electrical outlet on the floor so people can use their laptops or other devices. One is near a charger.”
Information Services Assistant Kathi Linz said the large-print books have been moved over by the windows to get the benefit of the sunlight. Individual seating is available in that section, too.
On the first floor of the Seymour Library, the children’s department also has opened, minus toys and things that could be handled, said Lola Snyder, head of youth services.
“We have added a floor maze, kind of like an agility course, that goes all the way around the back of the room to the ‘my space’ area and it’s hands-free,” Snyder said. “There’s currently a scavenger hunt going on in the children’s area, too, along with a find the duck activity.”
Snyder said virtual programming is still available. They also have take-and-make craft kits available for children almost every week, and parents just pick them up to do the craft at home.
“We have story stacks if they don’t want to come in and browse or be here for very long. We gather books that are of similar themes and have them on tables in here,” she said. “We have them for young kids and another table of story stacks for the older kids.”
Outside the library is the JCPL StoryWalk that kids can do any time and takes place on the historic side of the library near the original Carnegie entrance.
StoryWalk is an outdoor reading experience where a children’s book is deconstructed and the pages of the book are laminated and placed along a walking trail.
“Each page of the story will tell the child how to get to the next one or what to do,” Snyder said. “It goes up and around the flagpole, then back down to where it started and the story is changed usually once a month.”
For the past six years, Snyder has read a children’s story from the library’s collection each Saturday morning at 9 a.m. on Radio 96.3 WJAA. The beloved storytime is being discontinued at the station, and her last reading will be broadcast Saturday.
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Current hours at the Jackson County Public Library locations
Seymour, 303 W. Second St.: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday
Crothersville, 120 W. Main St.: 2 to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Medora, 27 W Main St.: 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday
For information, call 812-523-4636 in Seymour, 812-793-2927 in Crothersville or 812-966-2278 in Medora.
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