Wednesday, May 13

Library Services Update


May 12, 2020
Dear Valued Library Patron
On behalf of our entire family of libraries, we want to thank you for your support during the past couple of months. While our doors were physically closed to you, our Central Mississippi Regional Library System Board of Trustees and Library Team was committed to providing digital services which included access to eBooks, Databases, eContent, free WiFi at all branches. We are grateful that you have continued to support us from a distance. Because of your support, we have been able to promote safety for our communities and our library team. We sincerely appreciate your vast loyalty and look forward to having you visit our libraries again soon.
From the beginning of the pandemic, we have continued to prioritize the health and well-being of our library team members and library patrons. As we enter phased reopening plans in our branches, we want to inform you of the practices and safety protocols we are following to ensure our libraries remain a safe place to work and provide library services. Below is a list of policies and operations that our libraries will be following, along with estimated dates of when each location plans to reopen.
We kindly ask that you refrain from visiting our libraries if you have any symptoms (coughing, shortness of breath, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhea), if you have had a fever of 100.4 in the past 48hrs, or if you have been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID19. Additionally, we request your participation in our social distancing practices to safeguard our CMRLS team and patrons. Thank you for your assistance in this matter!
  • Libraries will follow all local guidelines to open at specified capacity rates.
  • In-person library programming, such as but not limited to story times and book clubs, will not be offered until further notice.
  • The Library Team Member is required to undergo a series of health screening questions before entering the building. Those showing any signs of symptoms or fever are prohibited from entering the library.
  • Study tables and computer stations are seated at least 6ft apart from one another.
  • Availability of computers will be limited. We will adhere to thirty-minute sessions to allow for others to use computers. Free Wifi can be accessed on the outside of the library building.
  • Curbside Document Delivery Services such as printing, copying and faxing are available for a fee. Wireless printing is available at select branches: Flowood, Pearl, Magee, Mendenhall, Forest.
  • Notary services are available for a nominal fee at the following branches: Flowood, Magee, Mendenhall
  • Library Team Members are required to wear protective masks and gloves with frequent glove changes and hand washing.
  • Tables, chairs, and other library surfaces are sanitized after every use.
  • High-touch areas such as doorknobs, screens, restrooms, etc. are sanitized frequently throughout each shift.
  • Antibacterial soap and hand sanitizer are readily available for Library Team Members and patrons in the libraries.
  • Library Team Members are provided proper training and guidance on safety protocols and steps to minimize the spread of COVID19.
  • Meeting room use and study room use are discontinued until further notice.

CMRLS has a plan for our libraries. The first part of the plan includes opening Book Drops and offering Curbside Services. During this phase, patrons will not be allowed to enter our libraries.

Book drops at selected locations will be open starting Monday, May 18, 2020 (at the following locations: Floyd J.Robinson Memorial Public Library (Raleigh, MS), Forest Public Library (Forest, MS), G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Public Library (Flowood, MS), Magee PublicLibrary (Magee, MS), Mendenhall Public Library (Mendenhall, MS), Pearl PublicLibrary (Pearl, MS), Richland Public Library (Richland, MS)). All returned items will be quarantined for fourteen (14) days in the designated and approved area in the library. The returned items will be in quarantine. Items will remain on the patron’s account until the quarantine period is completed. However, it should not hinder the patron from borrowing more items.



We will continue to closely monitor the recommendations of local health departments and authorities to ensure we are serving you in the safest way possible.


Warm regards,


Mara V. Polk
Executive Director

12 comments:

Unknown said...

I was wondering if the book drop at the Sebastopol library will be open or do I need to return the things I have to the Forest library and also can I return the DVD's in the book drop?

lib-blogger said...

Only those branches listed will have open book drops. You will not accrue fines and this will not hinder you from checking out more books. We must quarantine and clean the books before offering them to other patrons and limiting the number of open book drops will make this easier and safer.
Dorothy - Customer Service custsvc@cmrls.lib.ms.us

Anonymous said...

None of these libraries are convenient for me to drop off books. Will my account be charged fines if I wait to return them until other branches are available?

lib-blogger said...

No, you will not be fined! Any items that are checked out now automatically have been given a due date of June 1st. Watch this blog, the CMRLS website, or Facebook for announcements of other branch openings or due date changes.

Anonymous said...

I have a bunch of books I would like to donate. How would I go about dropping those off? We are moving and will not be in town when normal operations restart.

lib-blogger said...

We apologize, but CMRLS Libraries are not able to accept donations at this time.

Unknown said...

My library card expired in February, so I have been locked out everything including the online content. None of my information has changed. How can I get my account renewed? Larry Morgan

lib-blogger said...

Mr. Morgan, if you will email your library card number to custsvc@cmrls.lib.ms.us or message CMRLS.Libraries on Facebook, I will renew your card.
Dorothy-Customer Service

Anonymous said...

So very excited to hear this! Thank you for all of the extra work you will be doing during this time. Can't wait to get back to the library! - Helen

Unknown said...

Where is the bookdrop at the Forest Library? My daughter went to drop off my stuff and could not find it

Unknown said...

I was wondering if where the book drop is at the Forest Library. my daughter went to drop off my stuff and couldn't find a book drop I tried calling the library and didn't get an answer.

lib-blogger said...

On the back of the Forest Library, the left side of the back door is a metal lip that opens to slide the books through. Please let us know if we can help with anything else.