To the Guilderland Library Community

By Tim Wiles, Library Director

To Our Guilderland Library Community:

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through the many issues related to the coronavirus situation. Rest assured that we are doing everything we can to provide you with information and entertainment online during the shutdown, and serve you remotely to the best of our ability.

24/7 Library: Please do yourself a favor and explore our many free online gems, including eBooks; eMagazines; audiobooks; New York Times; The Great Courses, Qello concerts, IndieFlix films and Acorn TV shows through RBDigital; databases like ancestry.com and Consumer Reports… and much more! Just go to www. guilderlandlibrary.org to get started.

I urge you to check these options out. They have always been there for you, but have become even more important at a time like this. In fact, we hope you’ll tell your friends and neighbors, who may be what I call “future library users,” that they can get a library card right now through our website, granting them access to many of these resources. Most of them are also available to residents of the Guilderland Central School District who hold Altamont Free Library cards.

eBooks / eMagazines: For many eBooks, there are long waiting lists, and always have been. We are currently doing all we can to shorten those wait times by purchasing extra copies of popular eBooks. Our partner libraries in the Upper Hudson Library System are doing the same, so some wait times will shorten soon, though our additional spending may be balanced by increased demand. Macmillan Publishing has lifted their restrictive policy of allowing only one digital copy of new releases to libraries – good news and timing, since we’re not able to lend physical copies of books at the present time. We’ve also just added a dozen new publications on our Flipster application, including Rolling Stone, the Atlantic, Paleo, Car and Driver, Harvard Health Letter, Pioneer Woman Magazine, Better Nutrition and others.

Signs of normalcy and spring: Andy Choens took advantage of the empty parking lot at Guilderland Public Library recently to teach his four-year-old daughter, Leila, how to ride a bicycle. Free WiFi is also accessible from GPL’s parking lot.

Fines Waived: I also want to reassure folks that we are assessing no fines during this closure, as of March 1. We would not think of charging you for items which you are currently unable to return. Why are our book drops closed? Well, we’ve been advised by New York State not to have staff in the building, which we would have to enter in order to empty those book drops. Any holds will be extended through May 1 (or later if necessary), and expired library cards are automatically being renewed.

Donations: Please do not donate used books to us at this time. We can›t get into the building to process them, so they would stack up outside the building and either be ruined by rain or become a fire hazard. Instead, offer to share books you no longer want with your neighbors. You can also drop them into the green bin located in our auxiliary parking lot. This bin is managed by Better World Books, who sell them online and give GPL a portion of the proceeds. Please, no textbooks, worn paperbacks or outdated material, just books that are in good enough condition that someone would buy them. Thanks!

Phone / email: While our building is closed, we’re working remotely to serve you to the very best of our ability. Our new Google Voice line, 518-285-0050, is staffed weekdays 10 a.m.-12 p.m., and 2-4 p.m. Feel free to message us anytime, and we’ll get back to you. You can also email us anytime at Ask.Librarian@ guilderlandlibrary.org. Free WiFi is available 24/7 from our parking lot. Our neighboring library in Altamont also has WiFi that can be accessed from their parking lot, or from Orsini Park. You can even use this internet connection to complete your Census questionnaire online in just a few minutes.

Website: We are constantly updating our website, and have launched a “Healthy at Home” page to consolidate information on all our digital resources, GPL status updates, and trusted news sources reporting on the pandemic. You can also sign up for e-news at the top of our homepage to receive GPL e-blasts, another way to stay in touch with us.

Social Media: We’ve posted short “Fireside Chat” videos on our Facebook page with directions on how to easily tap into our digital resources from your smart phone, tablet or computer. If you’re not already familiar with these resources, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to use them. We’ve also launched a new Facebook group called GPL Kids and Families, which will feature virtual storytimes and resources for families. We’re looking for name suggestions for our lobby’s mascot, Greufus the Cow…something easier pronounce and spell. You can find us on Instagram and Twitter as well.

There is a lot to absorb and adjust to right now, requiring flexibility and patience. We appreciate your understanding as we strive to maintain operations from various corners of the Capital District. We miss serving you in person, and hope to be back to doing so very soon. For now, please stay healthy and safe, stay connected, and take advantage of all we offer from the comfort of home.

STAY CONNECTED WITH GPL

Phone (temporary): (518) 285-0050

Email: Ask.Librarian@guilderlandlibrary.org

Website: www.guilderlandlibrary.org

Facebook: Guilderland Public Library, GPL Kids and Families group

Instagram: guilderlandlibrary

Twitter: @GuilderlandLib