We had a fun time this Fall with the Big Crafty.  Patrons signed up for classes, picked up their kits, clicked the weekly class zoom links, and created a bunch of cool stuff.

So the library would like to offer a family-friendly series of crafts before and during the holidays.  Check out our calendar of events, read the descriptions, pick the classes you’d like to attend, and sign up on the simple online registration.  More classes will be posted, so keep checking our calendar to see what’s happening: https://indianlake.sals.edu/calendar/

We’ll start out with felted soap bars (a GREAT stocking stuffer, back by popular demand), woven stars (that make AWESOME accents for your holiday decor or ornaments), and sweet snow people the whole family will enjoy.

The classes are meant to be relaxing, and require no special crafty skills. We’ll supply any special supplies, you’ll need only a few basics supplies you likely have at home already, like glue, scissors, copy paper, stuff like that.

Monday September 21st the library began welcoming patrons in for limited browsing and computer use. It has gone well so far, and because we haven’t been overly busy, we decided to allow browsing without appointments, during designated browsing hours, see below. Computer users may have longer than 30 minutes if no one is waiting to use a machine too. Scroll below for updates.

Because we are practicing social distancing and are limiting the number of people in the library building at once, we’ve come up with a plan to minimize risk and provide you the materials and services you need. We also are doing lots of cleaning throughout the day, and need to maintain a schedule to allow for that to continue.

THE WHENS:
COMPUTER APPOINTMENTS will allow 2 patrons at a time at least 30 minutes at the 2 available computer stations. Between appointments staff will have 10 minutes to sanitize the stations for the next patrons. Computer appointments are available Mondays through Fridays. If no one is waiting to use a computer station after your 30 minutes is up, you may stay longer.

MON/WED/FRI computer appointments are 2 – 5 pm

TUE/THU computer appointments are 12 – 3 pm.

BROWSING/BORROWING HOURS are listed below. Patrons are reminded to practice social distancing while in the building.

MON/WED/FRI browsing hours are 2 – 5 pm

TUE/THU browsing hours are 12 – 3 pm

SATURDAY browsing hours are 10:30 – 12 pm

THE HOWS:

1. Call us during our regular hours to book time on our computers. Our number is 518-648-5444. Phones will be answered during regular hours that staff is in the building. Visit our homepage for hours staff is in building: https://indianlake.sals.edu/
2. Until the construction to our front entrance is complete, patrons will enter the library by the emergency exit on the south side of the building across from the senior meal site.
3. Please DO NOT bring returns into the library with you. Place returns in the old book deposit, also located on the south side of the building, right next to our temporary entrance.
4. We ask that you respect a 6-foot distance between yourself and others waiting to enter the library, unless they are your family.
5. As part of our library’s Pandemic Safety Plan, The Library Board of Trustees added this to the library’s code of conduct: Everyone who enters the library must where a facial mask that covers the nose and mouth.
6. Upon entering, we ask that you use the available hand sanitizer near the entrance prior to handling materials.
7. While in the library please do your best to maintain social distance between yourself and others.

FAQ’s
Q: Can I just show up and enter the library to browse or use the computer?

A: Yes, you may now enter the library to find materials during browsing hours (see above). To use the computer, you should call first us to find out if we have one available (518)648-5444.

Q: Is there a time limit for browsing or computer use?

A: We invite you to browse for materials, but we are not encouraging patrons to hang out, sit and read, etc. It’s not that we don’t want to visit, but minimizing contact is in the interest of everyone’s safety. We hope you can find what you need in 15-20 minutes. Patrons may use the computers for up to 30 minutes. If no one is waiting for a computer after your 30 minutes is up, you may continue to use it.

Q: If I finish on the computer before my 30 minutes are up, can I go browse and borrow materials?

A: Yes, but just be aware of how many people we have in the building. Remember, we are trying to maintain social distance. Our board of Trustees has voted to allow up to 8 people (including staff members) in the building at one time until such a time that we can allow for more.

Q: Will contactless curbside service continue so I don’t have to come into the library?

A: Absolutely! Curbside will carry on as it has for the last few months. Once our foyer construction project is finished, it’ll morph into porch side service! Click here to find out more about curbside service: https://indianlake.sals.edu/contactless-curbside-service/ Click here to access our online catalog to find books, movies, and audios to request: https://pac.sals.edu/polaris/default.aspx?ctx=56.1033.0.0.3

Q: Can I still access digital material from the library website?

A: Yes, there is lot of digital content available through the Southern Adirondack Library On-Demand, click here to explore: https://salon.overdrive.com/

Q: While in the library may I get copies, faxes, printing, or scans done?

A: Absolutely! We ask that you allow staff to work the machines for you, but all of those services are available. We also continue to have remote printing services—you can email docs to our printer and schedule a time to pick them up. Email your print job to this address: printind@hpeprint.com. Call to let us know you’ve sent something and when you’d like to pick it up.

Q: May I bring my kids to the library to play?

A: Sadly we do not have toys out to play with. We truly miss having the young ones at the library to explore play and participate in activities and story times. All the puppets, toys, puzzles, and Legos are hibernating and awaiting that great day when they can come out and play again. We will begin more online programming and activity kits for kids starting in October, visit our calendar for details: https://indianlake.sals.edu/calendar/

Q: May I bring my kids to the library to pick out books, movies, or audios?

A: We would love to have kids in to look for materials. We recommend that if your child is very young, and apt to get upset about the lack of toys, maybe you should come alone and browse for materials for them. BUT if your kids are ok with just browsing and not playing, then they are welcome to accompany you and browse. They also will be required to wear a mask and use hand sanitizer before handling materials.

Q: Is the Bag o’ Books pick up program still available for kids?

A: It is, and we LOVE to fill up a bag of fun book treasures for your kids to borrow! Click here for more information: https://indianlake.sals.edu/contactless-curbside-service/bag-o-books/

Q: Your entrance is still under construction; how do I get into the library for my appointment?

A: The south side of the building, across from senior meal site. Please don’t park there; it’s technically a one-way street.

Q: Can I bring my returns into the library?

A: No, please use the book drop next to the door. We quarantine all returns at least 96 hours prior to checking them in so just put them in the box.

Q: Are the Friends of the Library accepting book donations yet? What about the library?

A: Sorry, no for Friends. No for the library. We’ll keep you posted when that changes. Our buildings do not have the room to accommodate donations and the quarantining they require.

Q: Why are the hours for patrons entering the library so limited?

A: A lot goes on behind the scenes at the library. Staff prepares curbside orders, processes inter-library loans, answers phones, re-shelves materials, processes new materials, and plans programs to name a few. Now staff is spending a lot of additional time cleaning and sanitizing throughout each work day. Our safety plan has a very specific protocol we must follow, so we need to schedule our time to allow for the extra activity.

This is just the start of our welcoming patrons back into the building, we hope to expand hours in future, but a conservative start is best in order to avoid having to backtrack.

We want to thank you all, our patient patrons, for understanding our measured approach to reintroducing our services to the community. We look forward to the time when we can get back to a more normal way of life, and can welcome everyone back into the library to hang out, visit, and attend programs. We’re likely a long way from that today, but with cooperation, caring, and patience we can all get through this challenge and come out the other side as a stronger community.

If you have questions about this post, please email: ind-director@sals.edu

We welcome back our fall craft programming that will be a bit different this year, in that it will take place online.

But fear not! We will still be able to interact with each other, and as always the library will provide free materials to complete the projects, with the hope you have the basics at home like scissors, tape, stuff like that.

The programs are geared for adults, although many are family friendly, and will be noted as such so you can get the whole family in on the fun.

Because we are putting kits together for you to pick up, and because we are sending you online links to join the class, you will need to fill out simple registration forms to give us the info we need to include you.

If you are unfamiliar with Zoom meetings, we can help you get up to speed before the class so you now what you’re doing. The registration form has a place for you to request help.

Our summer reading program went well online, so now that it is behind us, we want to branch out and provide our patrons with something fun like we have the past few years.

Check out our calendar of events to see details for each week’s project: https://indianlake.sals.edu/calendar/

Classes will be recorded so if you can’t make it the night of the class, you may still watch the class when there’s a time good for you.

It’s been a long, strange summer folks, for all of us.  Although the library building is not open to our patrons, we never truly closed.  Back in March we increased our online holdings for patrons to borrow, and we loaded our website with tons of resources for education and entertainment during the lock down phase of the pandemic.  We also compiled on our site lots of resources for how to deal with a variety of difficulties the COVID-19 situation has brought forth.  We even managed a virtual summer reading program for our elementary grades, and a few other virtual programs. 

Soon after staff were once again allowed to work in the building, we began contactless curbside service and that has been chugging along well.  We recognize that depending on the device you are using to access our catalog it isn’t always easy to find what you want.  Please don’t hesitate to call us for help finding materials.

We want to let you know some changes we have had to make inside the building.  There are no hang out places inside the building, no toys, and no in-person programming.  This stinks.  We don’t like this situation either.  We miss you and we miss the way we used to be open to the public.  The goal is to keep our staff and our patrons as safe as possible.

While the entrance reconstruction is under way, we have no way to monitor the number of patrons who enter the building, so appointment to enter will have to be made in order to comply with new occupancy limits that require social distancing.  This construction was planned well before COVID and delayed by it as well, but it’ll be a nice improvement.  We are grateful to our town guys for making it happen.

We envision the next step to include appointments to use the computer lab.  Only 2 computers will be available to use at a time, for 30 minutes.  The stations will be disinfected by staff in between users.  No browsing for materials will be allowed during this first try at having public in the building.  We are sorry, however you can still get materials delivered curbside.  It simply wouldn’t be fair to allow some to browse, but not others.  We need to limit hours for these activities due to the much more frequent cleaning staff does throughout the day, especially at the end of the day.  By scheduling appointments, we hope to service all of the users who need us.

If computer appointments go well, we plan to add 20-minute long browsing/check out appointments so you can see the stuff we have in the flesh.  No better feeling than finding a treasure on the shelf, we understand.   Browsing hours will be limited per day, and only 3 patrons at a time to begin, but it will be nice to be in the library again, even if the new normal is a bit weird. We’d ask too that caregivers or parents browse for their kiddos instead of bringing them here.

The Indian Lake Library is requiring that everyone over the age of two who enters the library wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth.  This requirement is part of the library’s COVID-19 safety response plan passed by its Board of Trustees.

This mask requirement is to comply with the Governor’s Executive Order and the consensus of the scientific and medical communities. Our library serves everyone from the very young to the very old, people with compromised health, and other groups that face severe consequences from a COVID-19 infection.  Our masks protect our community.  Hand sanitizer will be available for patron use too.

Patrons who cannot or will not wear masks may continue to use our contactless curbside pickup service. In fact, we encourage all of our patrons who wish to continue using this service if they are comfortable with it.

We had planned to begin both computer and browsing appointments August 24^th, but if these times have taught us anything it is that anything can change anytime.  With an uptick in confirmed COVID-19 cases in our county announced August 21^st, we are once again reevaluating our timing.  We will keep you posted on when we can expand services safely.

We won’t be the library you know and love for a while yet, but we’ll be closer, soon we hope.  It’s better to be safe above all so that we may remain open and able to serve our patrons, even if it isn’t like it was.   We truly appreciate everyone’s patience and support during these unprecedented times, and ask you to take precautions, be safe, keep well and read on.

Susan Rollings, Library Director

Quesitons?  518-648-5444 or email ind-director@sals.edu