Municipal Library to stay closed until further notice

The Board of Trustees of the Poplar Bluff Municipal Library voted unanimously Wednesday to keep the library closed until further notice, in the best interests of patrons and staff, because of the current national health emergency.

Sue Szostak, library director, said the decision was based on the recommendations of the White House and Missouri governor’s office with the best advice from federal, state, and local public health officials.

“We believe this decision is in the best interests of all of us. We value the well-being of our patrons and staff. We look forward to the day we can see you in person,” Szostak said.

“The only way we can ensure that everyone is following the recommended social distancing in our library is by closing our facilities. All due dates have been extended until the library reopens. The parking lot book drop also will remain closed. Please keep your materials until the library reopens, and watch for announcements in the news media, Facebook, and Instagram.”

With the physical library closed, patrons are encouraged to access the virtual library. Go to www.poplarbluff.org and use the web page links to access the many electronic materials available including books, audios, and videos plus digital story times by the staff and Tumblebooks. The library has a large digital collection that includes thousands of items using Hoopla, Overdrive, Tumblebooks and job search access.

If patrons do not already have a library card, residents of Butler, Ripley, Carter, Wayne, Dunklin and Stoddard counties can get an ecard for access to these digital resources. Go to poplarbluff.org/ecards.

Library Wi-Fi is available in the library parking lot Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. This allows access to our many resources and patrons can use the internet access for filling out their Census 2020.

“We know there is no substitute for a visit to your library,” Szostak said. “We are committed to getting our library reopened as soon as it is safe. In the meantime, we will be working to find ways to increase what we can offer electronically during the closure. Watch for more storytime opportunities and podcasts. We will communicate with you through our web page, Facebook, and Instagram as anything changes.

“Thank you for your support of Poplar Bluff Municipal Library. We hope to see you soon,”