There will be no storytime today, Tuesday, March 15th, as Miss Emily is losing her voice.
No Storytime Today
Category: Alerts
Holiday Closure at the Library
Did you know that President’s Day doesn’t officially exist? Instead, the holiday we know as President’s Day is actually Washington’s Birthday. Which doesn’t actually fall on his birthday.
Welcome to the complicated world of federal holidays.
So, quick recap: President’s Day is legally Washington’s Birthday which falls on the third Monday of February to give American’s a three-day weekend. As the first celebrated holiday (1879), it honors our country’s first president (DOB: February 22). Later, President Lincoln (DOB: February 12) was rolled into the day of commemoration, though Congress was unwilling to officially change the name.
The story goes that retailers were not enamored with offering “Washington’s Birthday Sales”, so they opted to use the alternative of President’s Day. Can’t say I blame them as the former sounds a bit strange. That said, since shopping isn’t my thing, it would be nice to celebrate corretly.
Officially, Meinders Community Library will be closed on February 21st in honor of Washington’s Birthday.
If you’d like to know more about Federal holidays or presidents or history, you know where to find us…just not on Monday.
Delivery Delayed
PCLS delivery to Meinders Community Library will take place on Wednesday, January 19. It should be processed and ready to go around 1pm. If you have items on hold and we have your email address, you will receive notice as soon as they are processed. If you are not receiving our emails, please check your spam and whitelist us for future notifications.
If you regularly place items on hold, the quickest and easiest way to know when they are ready for pick up is to provide your email address to library staff. Otherwise, know that our regular delivery days are Tuesdays and Fridays, with some rearranging around holidays.
Thanks for your patience and have a wonderful day before the cold settles back in!
Frosty Says Mask Up at Meinders
Due to rising COVID numbers in our community, Pipestone Area Schools have pivoted to distance learning the week of January 17-21. Per school guidelines, all staff, students, and visitors to the PAS campus are required to wear masks during school hours.
As part of the school campus with shared space and resources, Meinders Community Library will follow suit and also require masks in the library. We will keep you updated on any changes as they occur.
We continue to offer curbside pick up for those patrons wanting a no-contact experience. Simply call the library and we will get your books ready to go.
Have a happy, safe, and healthy weekend!
Library Service Q&A
Questions abound regarding possible changes to library services after the school board vote last week to terminate the Public Library Agreement. I will aim to answer the most pressing ones within the scope of my job as the director of Meinders Community Library.
As the current Public Library Agreement remains in effect until December 31, 2022, these answers are relevant through that time frame only.
Will your hours change? The short answer is no. Library hours are set by the library board based on MN state statute requirements for combined school and public libraries. Once COVID eases up a bit and the library board deems it appropriate, the library will resume pre-pandemic hours.
Where do I park to visit the library? The same place you always have. The parking lot to the south of the school campus is the designated parking lot for Public Library patrons. Students and school staff continue to use their own designated parking lots.
Will I still get books from the Plum Creek Library System? Yes. As long as Meinders Community Library remains a public library in good standing with PCLS, public patrons will have access to all the amenities of Plum Creek, including but not limited to:
- Physical materials such as books, DVDs, cakepans, audiobooks, and magazines from all PCLS libraries.
- Digital audio and ebooks from Libby/Overdrive.
- Digital platforms for adults and youth from Ebsco and Scholastic–check out our quicklinks tab to see all of them.
- MNLink materials from libraries across the state of MN.
- Digital resources for students, faculty, and public from eLibraryMN.
- Wi-fi hotspots.
What about my student? Will he continue to have access to all of Plum Creek Library System services at school? The short answer is yes–at least until December 31, 2022. The complicated answer is that school contracts are very different than a public library membership with the Plum Creek Library System, so services may change. If you have questions regarding a specific offering, please inquire at the library.
What will happen to library programming? Nothing different. Right now, our biggest concern with library programming is how to host safe events during COVID. As we deem it appropriate, we will continue to offer programs for all ages and interests. In fact, we have a great family friendly escape room happening this week. Just call to reserve a time that works for your crew!
Can I still check out whatever I want or will I be limited in my selection? There will be no short-term changes to the current collection, and ideally all materials will remain available to all patrons through the end of the year. That said, if a new agreement is not reached, the collection will be divided per the 1993 Public Library Agreement. This may affect your access to materials while staff physically divide and pack up the collection.
Can the public still use the library spaces like the computer lab and conference room for meetings? Yes. MN statute is very clear that the spaces, collections, and programming of combined school and public libraries are to be made available to both public and school. We schedule room reservations for individuals and organizations. As long as a room is available, you are able to use it.
What about the STEAM Room? Can we still use that? Yes. Except for the 3D printer, all of the tools and supplies in the library makerspace came from several grants, generous donations from community members, support from the Pipestone Area Friends of the Library, and through library funds. As such, the STEAM Room will remain open to our patrons until such a time that it may need to be packed up. Please feel free to call, stop by, or email us if you wish to use the space. As long as it is available, you are free to tinker away.
Until and unless a new agreement is made between the city and the school, the public library will operate under the current agreement through the end of 2022. We will keep you updated on any changes that impact our service to you and remain dedicated to providing quality materials and opportunities to all our patrons, from tiny tots to teenagers and those long into adulthood. ~ jody
Library Closing Early
Meinders Community Library will be closing at 3:30pm today, Friday, December 10th due to inclement weather.
Call before Visiting the Library Friday and Saturday
Due to the expected heavy snowfall, Meinders Community Library will remain open today only as long as Staff can keep up with shoveling the sidewalks. As the library parking lot and the road leading to the Pipestone Area School campus has not yet been plowed, don’t forget your boots to keep the drifts at bay.
We will update our closing time as well as our Saturday hours if things change. Otherwise, please call before stopping out to make sure we are open.
stay warm and stay safe~ jody
Holiday Closure Reminder
In observance of Thanksgiving and in honor of Native American Heritage Day, Meinders Community Library will be closed this Thursday and Friday.
In whatever time you have free over the next few days, I invite you to spend some time exploring the interactive Living Nations, Living Words poetry project spearheaded by Joy Harjo, Indigenous author and first Native U.S. Poet Laureate. Harjo is the 23rd Poet Laureate as well as a celebrated voice in literature–even in our tiny corner of the state.
If you would like to check out a physical book on/by Joy Harjo, the library closes tonight at 6pm, and will be open from 10-2 on Saturday.
Otherwise, please have a safe, thankful, and thoughtful holiday break.
jody~
Library Closing Early Today
Due to maintenance and a planned electrical outage on campus, the library will close at 4pm today, Wednesday October 20th.
Please share!
No Storytime Tuesday 9/21
Due to unforeseen circumstances, there will be no storytime this Tuesday, September 21st. We apologize for the inconvenience.