As we continue to live through this unprecedented situation surrounding the COVID-19 virus, the Huntington City-Township Public Library is working hard to provide library services to our community. While our physical buildings remain closed, we are still providing a wide variety of digital and virtual resources.
- E-books and e-audiobooks are available through our Libby App, OverDrive, and RB Digital platforms. These services allow you to get free digital books and audiobooks, anytime and anyplace, with no late fines.
- Streaming video, music, e-audiobooks and e-books are now available through our new Hoopla platform. You can borrow 5 items a month on demand, no waiting and no late fines.
- E-books for kids are available through the Tumblebooks platform. This service also includes math learning resources.
- A variety of free databases provide access to research materials, magazine articles, car repair guides and much more.
- Librarians are available during regular business hours to answer questions through email at ask@hctpl.info. Any question you might have about technology, government services, community services, or other information can readily be answered by our expert staff.
- We have a limited supply of free books, puzzles, food, and household supplies available at any time in a cabinet outside the front door at our Huntington location. These items are made available by generous donations from members of our community. If you would like to donate books or supplies, feel free to add them at any time.
We are also making plans for moving forward with services as we are able to start opening the library up in the future. We do not know when we will be able to reopen fully to the public; however, we have plans to continue to phase in services as soon as we can while still maintaining public safety. We will obviously be following local, state, and federal guidelines regarding safety and public health.
One of our first steps will be to offer virtual and recorded programs and classes so that we can continue to provide high quality content for our community. Many of our virtual programs will also feature take home kits with supplies so that you can complete the activities at home. These programs will be available sometime in May and will continue throughout the summer. Our hope is that this will allow you to participate in library programs while you stay safe at home.
We are in the process of developing a plan for curbside pickup of library materials and curbside document service for printing, copying and faxing. We anticipate that we will be able to start these services as soon as the Governor’s stay-at-home order is lifted or modified.
When a recommendation is made for non-essential businesses to reopen, we hope to start opening our services up—starting with public computer access. We will continue to monitor safety needs and provide as much service as we can.
We have plans in place to keep the building clean and to maintain healthy social distancing for staff and patrons. We will be providing protective gear and cleaning supplies for our staff to ensure that we are maintaining a healthy environment.
We thank you for your continued support and positivity in this trying time. We are doing our best to continue to provide library services for everyone in the community, and we are looking forward to being able to provide more services soon. Keep an eye on our Facebook and our website for the latest information.