Elizabethton Library takes on new look
Published 4:58 pm Friday, September 11, 2020
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In the library meeting room, where presenters would usually be giving their lectures, the library staff has created a storage and staging area for take-home children's and young adult (12 and up) project kits (available from September through December, check Facebook page for more details.)
Rather than seeing adults' reading books and magazines in this little nook near the front door, we've set up a distribution area for essential items for those in need. Stop by the main entrance to request one of these items containing socks, personal hygiene items, and non-perishable snacks.
Atop the library DVD secion, where library staff would be encouraging community members to enjoy coloring a portion of one of its large posters, the staff has set up take-home bags with exciting activities for adults. (Check the library Facebook page or call, beginning this month).
Normally, the library meeting room would be packed with adult, teens and children enjoying educational and entertaining programs; however, library staff is now using these tables to quarantine books and movies for 72 hours before they go back into circulation.
Instead of our usually inviting front door we’ve taken this space to offer donated items for FREE (we are currently NOT accepting donations for our next book sale). Also, a large white table for contactless pick-up (call ahead with you library card handy to schedule a pick-up of up to ten items of your choice or request some staff picks!).
If you’ve walked or driven by the Elizabethton-Carter County Public Library in the past couple of months, you’ve probably noticed it doesn’t look quite the same. Gone are the bustling children’s games, intense readers combing the stacks and shelves, and focused computer users, instead giving way to repurposed library space designed to respond to the many challenges the community faces during the current coronavirus pandemic. Some of the accompanying photos show how much has changed at the library.
Joe Penza, Archivist and Records Clerk at the local library, noted that life during the pandemic has been a huge transition for everyone. “At the library we’re committed to providing the services our community deserves in whatever form possible. From assisting parents with virtual learning, to providing safe-at-home activities for children, young adults, and seniors; from offering curbside pickup of your favorite new books and movies to helping those in need during this heightened season of isolation, we will continue adapting our resources and space to best serve the people of our county and city,” Penza shared.
The latest update on library services can be found on the Library’s Facebook pages or call (423) 547-6360.