Archive: May 2020
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Staff Picks For You!
Leave a CommentYou spoke and we listened! After numerous requests to have specially curated books selected just for you, our expert staff will select up to 10 books and 4 DVDs based on your individual preferences and comprehension levels.
This service is available at all Morgantown Public Library branches, including Arnettsville Public Library, Cheat Area Public Library, Clay Battelle Public Library, Clinton Public Library, and the Morgantown Public library (Downtown location.)
Request a staff pick today: https://forms.gle/VoofRfh3V5WZNS1P9
Please give us 3 days to fill requests. Library staff will call you when your materials are ready. For additional help or to place your request over the phone please call 304-291-7425.
Curbside pickup or Grab-and-Go pickup procedures: https://www.mympls.org/curbside-pickup-begins-today/
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Curbside Pickup Begins Today!
1 CommentThe Morgantown Public Library System is happy to announce that curbside pick-up will begin on Tuesday, May 26 at all branch locations, including Arnettsville Public Library, Cheat Area Public Library, Clay Battelle Public Library, Clinton District Public Library, and the Morgantown Public Library. While following social distancing recommendations and supporting families learning from home, we are committed to providing safe access to library materials to everyone through this new no-contact pickup service.
Put Your Books On Hold:
- Call your local branch.
- Order online at https://www.mympls.org/ (Note: Online holds are limited to 10 items and DVDs are unavailable for holds.)
Pickup Option 1: Drive-Through Service (We will not be accepting book returns through this service.)
- Your books are ready for pickup only after you receive a confirmation call from library staff.
- Drive up to the library and park in the closest available parking space. Morgantown Public Library (Downtown location): Drive to the corner of Fayette and Spruce Street and stop at the designated library pickup space (see map).
- Open the trunk of your car and please remain in your vehicle.
- Call the library with your name, make, and color of car.
- Staff will approach the car with your books and drop off the items into the trunk of your car.
- Please wait for library staff to finish packing your car before closing your trunk.
Pickup Option 2–Grab-And-Go Service: (Please do not hand library staff your book returns)
- Your books are ready for pickup only after you receive a confirmation call from library staff.
- Once at the building, call your branch or ring the doorbell (when available) to notify staff of your arrival.
- A library staff member will retrieve your books from inside the building and place your materials either on a table or in front of the door. Please maintain a safe 6-feet distance.
Arnettsville Public Library (4120 Fairmont Road, Morgantown, WV 26501)
- Offering Curbside Pickup and Grab-And-Go Service
- Call the library at (304) 278-2021 or visit https://www.mympls.org/ to order your books.
- Pickup Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 12:00pm-6:00pm and Fridays 12:00pm-3:00pm
Cheat Area Public Library (121 Crosby Road, Morgantown, WV 26508)
- Offering Curbside Pickup and Grab-And-Go Service
- Call the library at (304) 594-1020 or visit https://www.mympls.org/ to order your books.
- Pickup Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 10:00am-6:30pm, Tuesdays and Fridays, 10:00am-4:30pm, Thursdays 10:00am-3:30pm, Saturdays 10:00am-1:30pm
Clay-Battelle Public Library (6059 Mason-Dixon Hwy, Blacksville, WV 26521)
- Offering Grab-And-Go Service
- Call the library at (304) 432-8531 or visit https://www.mympls.org/ to order your books.
- Pickup Hours: Mondays 10:00am-5:00pm, Tuesdays 10:00am-6:00pm, Wednesdays-Fridays 10:00am-4:00pm, Saturdays 9:00am-12:00pm
Clinton District Public Library (2005 Grafton Road, Morgantown, WV 26508)
- Offering Grab-And-Go Service
- Call the library at (304) 291-0703 or visit https://www.mympls.org/ to order your books.
- Pickup Hours: Mondays and Tuesdays 11:00pm-4:00pm, Wednesdays 11:00am-6:00pm. Thursdays 2:00pm-4:00pm, Fridays 11:00am-2:00pm. Saturdays 10:00am-12:00pm
Morgantown Public Library (373 Spruce Street, Morgantown, WV 26505)
- Offering Curbside Pickup and Grab-And-Go Service
- Call the library at (304) 291-7425 or visit https://www.mympls.org/ to order your books.
- Mondays-Thursdays 10:00am – 7:00pm, Fridays-Saturdays 10:00am – 3:00pm
Aull Center for Local History (351 Spruce Street, Morgantown, WV 26505)
- Call to make an in-person appointment at (304) 292-0140
- Hours: Mondays-Wednesdays 9:00am-7:00pm. Thursdays-Fridays 9:00am-4:00pm, Saturdays 9:00am-1:00pm
Morgantown Public Library, Downtown Location Frequently Asked Questions:
- When will my order be ready for pickup? Books available in the building may take 24 hours for the order to fill. Books put on hold from other Morgantown Public Library branches or libraries within the West Virginia’s Northern Library Network may see longer than usual wait times.
- Will my order be delayed if I order books from multiple branches? You will receive a call once the books are fulfilled at your branch location. You will receive a separate call when your other materials arrive from other locations.
- What items can I order? All library materials on the catalogue are available for holds. However, online holds exclude DVDs. For DVD holds, call the library at (304) 291-7425.
- How many items can I order? Online holds have a limit of 10 items. Orders placed over the phone have no item limit.
- Can I return items at this time? Yes, please return your books only through our designated book drop-off bins located outside of the building.
- What are you doing to protect the safety of patrons? Our no-contact pickup models have been designed to adhere to social distancing recommendations.
Based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Library Association (ALA), we have imposed a quarantine period of a minimum of 3 days on all the books you are receiving today. Additionally, staff will be required to wear gloves and face masks.
We do not recommend using abrasive cleaning solvents on library materials which can prove damaging. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us by phone at (304) 291-7425 or email at askmympls@gmail.com - Why are you using plastic bags to deliver pickup items? Plastic bags are a temporary measure to protect patron privacy, protect library materials, and limit unnecessary contact.
- How long will you offer curbside delivery? We are unsure how long we will continue this service. The health and safety of library staff and the community is our priority and we will continue to make decisions that further this objective.
- I have more questions! Who do I contact? We are happy to help. Contact us Mondays-Thursdays 10:00am – 7:00pm and Fridays-Saturdays 10:00am – 3:00pm by email at askmympls@gmail.com or phone at (304) 291-7425.
- I returned my book but it still appears on my “checked out” list. Why? Returned items are being quarantined for 72 hours before being checked-in and recirculated. Because of this, it may take up to five days for an item to be processed.
- My library card is expired. Can I renew it? Yes, email us at askmympls@gmail.com or call us at (304) 291-7425 with your name, phone number, email address, and current address.
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Record Use of Morgantown’s Digital Library During Quarantine
Leave a CommentSince the stay-at-home order, use of the Morgantown Public Library System’s digital library is seeing all-time high numbers. People continue to discover the library’s resources from at-home genealogical databases to online music lessons, all of which can be accessed using WIFI on a computer, smart phone, or eReader.
“Within hours of announcing temporary library cards, we received an overwhelming response from the community,” says Corina Chang, Manager of Marketing. “It was immediately clear that there was a real need for our resources.”
Since March, the library issued 176 temporary library cards with over 100 requests to renew existing cards.
Digital checkouts are up from 9114 to 14,440 with a 58% increase compared to the previous year. The digital library’s more popular resources include ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, music, and genealogical resources. “Learn a new language, pick up a new instrument, brush up on your interviewing skills. The digital library has many resources to meet you wherever you are in your learning journey,” says Chang.
Staff responded to over 400 questions and requests, like Bill Quigley’s, since the library’s closure in March, “I want to share my appreciation of all the services that the MPLS is providing during these difficult times. The staff was very helpful in renewing my library card online for me. This opened the door to the great online services for books and other media,” says Quigley.
In addition to its digital library, staff from all branch locations are finding ways to engage with patrons through weekly creative competitions, month-long reading challenges, book recommendations, virtual story times, and book trails to demonstrate that learning can take place beyond a computer screen.
“While this time may be unprecedented, it’s not unusual for MPLS to look for new ways to expand services,” says Sarah Palfrey, Director of the Morgantown Public Library System. “Currently we are re-imagining what the Summer Reading Program looks like, staying true to its mission of fostering a love of reading while finding new ways to deliver the stories to the people of Monongalia County.”
The library staff are working with the Library Board of Directors and the Monongalia County Health Department in finalizing a reopening schedule. A plan is in place to reopen the library to the public in a series of phases so that it is done safely and effectively. Starting on Tuesday, May 26th, the library will be offering curbside pickup, followed at a later date, with a concierge option where expert staff pick out reading material based on an individual’s preferences.
Along with the rest of the world, the library is entering an unknown world with a new set of rules. But if these record-high digital checkout numbers are any indication of the future, the library has proven its remote capabilities can still connect people through love of reading and learning even when we all can’t be together.
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Stack ‘Em Up Reading Challenge
Leave a CommentParticipate in Morgantown Public Library’s Stack ‘Em Up Reading Challenge (May 13th – 31st.) Register at mympls.beanstack.com.
Compete in your age category: Youth (up to 12) or Masters (13 and up.) Log at least 3 books to be entered into a drawing for either a $25 gift card to the WOW Factory in the youth age category or a $50 gift card to Black Bear Burritos in the masters age category. The more books you log the better chance you have of winning.
Sign Up for the Reading Challenge
Beanstack is easy to use and available both online and as a mobile app. Get started by visiting our Morgantown Public Library Beanstack website at mympls.beanstack.org to create your account. You can also register through the app (find out below under “Get the App”).
Note: An email address is required, if you do not have an email address you will need to create one first then come back to register for Beanstack.
Have your Library Card ready and choose how you would like to register (as an individual, registering a child, registering a family or group) and then complete all required fields (marked with *) on the online form. If you do not have a library card email us at askmympls@gmail.com with your full name, current mailing address, and phone number for a temporary library card.
Once registered, you can access your account online or in the app by signing in with your username and password.
Enjoy the fun of reading and unlock achievements!
Beanstack is a website and app that serves as an interactive home for reading challenges and events. It’s your one-stop-shop to not only register for challenges, but to also track your reading habits and unlock badges!
What You Can Do
- Register as an Individual, Family, Group, or Class
- Perfect for parents and teachers
- Track Your Reading
- Keep a Reading Log
- Set/Record Session Timers
- Keeps track of what you’ve read and how long you’ve read
- Complete Reading Challenges
- Choose from Youth or Adult Reading Challenges created by the Library
- Write Book Reviews
- Now available on desktop and mobile
- Earn Badges, Incentives, and Prizes
- Digital badges and achievements as well as prizes from your Library
- View Highlights
- Features your badges, stats, and streaks based on your reading habits
- Manage a Family Member’s Reading Log & Achievements
- (If registered as a Family) Easily switch views between member profiles without having to change log-ins
Get the App
Find the free app in your Apple App or Google Play store under the name “Beanstack Tracker” and select “Get” or “Install.”
Once downloaded, open the app and follow the simple step-by-step prompts to create an account for yourself, your child, or your family/group. If you’ve already created your account through the website, you can skip this step and just sign in to your existing account with your registered username and password.
Registering on the Website vs. Through the App: Since the app does not use our direct website link, the first prompt in creating your account is selecting “Find Your School or Library” and entering “Morgantown” in the search option. Otherwise the process is the same as registering on the website. All fields are required except for phone number.
Troubleshooting
If at any time you need help with Beanstack, please visit their Helpdesk and type in your question.
For questions related to the 15-Day Reading Challenge, please reach out to Crystal at askmympls.org@gmail.com.
- Register as an Individual, Family, Group, or Class
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Book Donations
Leave a CommentAs of March 2022, the Morgantown Public Library System is now accepting book donations.
In order to protect staff and encourage you to stay home, we are currently not accepting book donations at any of our locations. We will reevaluate this again on an ongoing basis. As with everything, things can change. Feel free to reach out to us at askmympls@gmail.com with any questions. -
Meet Us in the Gardens!
Leave a CommentFor the entire month of May, we’ve set up a Book Trail at the West Virginia Botanic Garden. Read through an entire story as you stroll through a trail, just look for the signs with the pages of the book. This month’s book is “Tiny, Perfect Things” by M. H. Clark. Explore the world around as you read a story about how childlike curiosity can transform ordinary days into extraordinary adventures.
Start the trail directly across from the entrance to the Shade Garden, just a short walk from the Event Center.
Read Dominion Post’s coverage of the project: https://www.dominionpost.com/2020/05/11/morgantown-library-working-toward-reopening
This book trail is brought to you by Cheat Area Public Library, a branch of the Morgantown Public Library System.
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We Want Your Feedback
Leave a CommentTo better serve the changing needs of the greater Monongalia County, we want to hear from you. As the state takes steps to open businesses back up, we want to make sure that we are strategizing our efforts efficiently and working towards meaningful projects, from which people can actually benefit. We appreciate any feedback you can provide. It takes only 2 minutes to complete.
Feel free to reach out to us directly with thoughts and ideas at askmympls@gmail.com
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd9TYonGXfza8mTPB–OhL5EVoV5rgOMzitYKmSK5sYL6_ilg/viewform