On Into the School Year
We’re certainly glad to be back! It’s great to see our patrons again, and we appreciate all of the support people have showed in respecting our social distancing and mask regulations. We’ve been hard at work here at the Library to bring back as many of our services as we can, and have some good news to report:
- Interlibrary loan is back! While there may be some delays in getting materials based on the status of the lending institutions, we can now once again request materials from not only Allegany and Washington Counties through www.relib.net, but also through MARINA at https://www.sailor.lib.md.us/services/marina/
- We have been working very hard during the closure on digitizing materials of significance to Garrett County, and have made a lot of progress. We hope to have a special announcement regarding this project very soon…
- Lawyer in the Library is back, and we are able to provide one-on-one (socially distanced, of course!) help to our patrons on civil legal issues thanks to the great people at Maryland Legal Aide. These sessions take place twice a month on Tuesdays from 1:00-5:00 – check our calendar for the dates!
- One Maryland, One Book is once again upon us! The Library still has some copies of this year’s book, The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See – I’ve read it myself and have to admit it really made an impact. I’m looking forward to discussing it at one of our three discussion events – while one will be online, of course, two more will be in person at nearby parks (with social distancing, of course)!
Finally, we know there are a lot of people out there who are going to have to deal with a new reality this fall when it comes to educating their kids – I’m one of them myself, with three children currently in the schools. Whether learning remotely through the plan GCPS has put in place using Schoology or homeschooling, the Library is working to get the materials you need and to support learning at home in any way we can. We’re putting together lists of recommended links, purchasing new materials, working to obtain new Wifi hotspots for checkout, and coordinating with libraries throughout the State to put your Library to work for you. Make sure you take a look at the incredible online resources that can be found at www.relib.net, and we are always happy to partner with people and groups in the community to ensure that our kids get the best education possible in spite of this pandemic!
