Library offers curbside pickup

written by SARAH NADEAU

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, WASHINGTON COUNTY FREE LIBRARY

What do dinner, new socks and library books have in common? They are all available through curbside pickup.

You can order a meal from a local restaurant to enjoy at home, purchase clothing online to collect at a store, and place holds on library materials and schedule a time to pick them up from any branch throughout the county.

Like many businesses, Washington County Free Library’s service model has changed to meet the needs of our community in the age of social distancing. You can still check out books, movies, CDs, video games and more for free with a library card. Over the last few months, library staffers have been working hard to make the process as easy and convenient as possible.

Visit our website, washcolibrary.org, to access the online catalog. Search for books by your favorite author; that movie your friend keeps talking about; an album you used to listen to again and again; new children’s books to add to the bedtime story rotation; or whatever else you’d like to find. Browse lists of bestseller titles or new additions to the collection with our online catalog, and curate lists of what you’d like to check out in the future with a library card account.

When you find the items you’d like to check out, place a hold and indicate a preferred branch library for curbside pickup service. A notification sent to you will include the link to an online calendar so you can schedule curbside pickup to best suit your schedule. Librarians are also available by phone to help place holds and arrange pickups.

Don’t have a library card? Not a problem! Apply for a temporary e-card through the online catalog. An e-card allows you to access e-books and e-audiobooks; stream TV shows and movies; do research using library databases; and more. A library card is an invaluable tool for all ages on the journey to find information, explore new stories and grow. Your library is here for all – online, by phone, for curbside pickup and beyond.

Go to washcolibrary.org for more information about curbside pickup, phone reference services, online resources, library updates and what Washington County Free Library is doing to help ensure the safety of library staff and the community we serve.

Top photo: Lisa Key, circulation manager at the Fletcher Branch of the Washington County Free Library in Hagerstown, wears a mask in July while placing library materials on hold for a patron at the walk-up pickup table. Patrons are encouraged to wear masks and practice social distancing when picking up their library materials. — Photo by Colleen McGrath

SARAH NADEAU

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, WASHINGTON COUNTY FREE LIBRARY