Category: News

Updates and Looking Ahead to Summer

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

Over a year has passed since we began to respond to the challenges of COVID-19, and we appreciate your patience, support, and willingness to comply with our best efforts to keep our staff and community healthy. We are excited to share even more updates with you that may remind you of pre-pandemic days.

We have returned to regular operating hours!

Stop in and see us:
Mon-Thurs: 10-7
Fri: 10-1
Sat: 10-2

ALL stacks are open for browsing!

We trust that you will continue helping us with our sanitizing efforts by utilizing our sanitizing stations and placing books that you no longer wish to check out on the designated tables.

You will also have a few more seating options as we slowly add well-spaced furniture pieces. We are thrilled to see everyone safely browsing the shelves and enjoying the library space. As always, we are here to help if you need assistance locating items or accessing our services.

 

Along with our cleaning and sanitizing procedures, there are a few other precautions that will remain. First, we strongly encourage all library visitors to wear a face covering regardless of vaccination status, until further CDC guidance is received. Next, computer station/time limits and our curbside pickup service will remain. Finally, we will continue to restrict in-person programming based on the number of participants and space. Here’s what you can expect for summer programming:

    • A blend of virtual and outdoor programming
    • The Summer Reading Program includes MANY fun events. Some will occur virtually while others will be held either outdoors at the library or at Cedar Creek Park. Details about these events can be found on our Summer Reading Program website page. All registration, logging, and tickets is now on Beanstack.
    • Growing with Gardens Club will be held outside on the library patio (weather permitting).
    • Miss Judy will hold chalk days once a month for her Tiny Tykes. If you are signed up for Tiny Tykes, you will receive information about this through your email.
    • We are now offering one-on-one how-to sessions on E-mail, Microsoft Word, Google Chrome, Google Search Engine, and Power Library. Click here to schedule your session.
    • Masks and social distancing encouraged. At all events, we appreciate your efforts to be socially distant and wear face coverings.

Whether it’s been a virtual basket raffle, Facebook guessing games, live videos, or take-home packets, you have been there to support us. We appreciate your continued support as we plan upcoming programs and resources for the community to enjoy.

 

Spring Welcomes Changes at the Library

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

We are excited to share some upcoming changes with you! These updates are part of our steady and thoughtful return to regular operations. We don’t have all of the answers or specifics, but we continue to hold the safety of our staff and patrons to the highest standards. 

The stacks will open April 1st

The nonfiction, large print, adult fiction, audiobooks, young adult, DVDs, and graphic novels will be open for browsing starting in April.

Although the stacks are open, we ask that patrons practice proper mask wearing, social distancing, and handwashing. There will be designated areas to place items that patrons have pulled off the shelves yet no longer wish to check out. We will also make additional hand sanitizing stations available for easy access around the stacks. Thank you in advance for your cooperation with these measures.

Once we can see and adjust how our updated protocols work in the grown-up sections, the children’s area will follow shortly after.

Normal operating hours will resume in May

Starting in May, we will return to our longer operating hours. Here’s a refresher on what those looked like prior to the pandemic:

Monday-Thursday: 10AM-7PM

Friday: 10AM-1PM

Saturday: 9AM-1PM

Please note that computer station and time limits will remain despite the extended hours. 

 

As we move forward with these changes, we are continuing to work on various types of programming. Throughout this time, we designed each program to be something that will excite, refresh, or inform our patrons. We sincerely thank you for participating along the way. 

In order to continue providing programming, we ask that you support our upcoming Spring Basket Raffle fundraiser. This virtual basket raffle will open April 5th! You can visit the raffle site and browse the baskets in advance.

Baskets are still being added, so make sure you stop back when the raffle is officially open April 5th-May 5. If you have any questions, please contact the library (724-379-5511).

 

Our curbside pickup service and other safety measures will remain. Thank you for connecting with us in new ways over this past year.

Library Updates – Limited Browsing and Computer Appointments

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

You can now enter the library to access limited services! We have moved forward with a few more changes that will allow patrons to use our computers and browse books. However, these resources have NOT returned to full access. There are many alterations that you will encounter as you walk through the library.

Limited Browsing

You can now physically pick out a book and check it out in the library! There are a few restrictions that we ask you to comply with:

    • Browse prepared displays. Library staff are the only people allowed in the stacks, and we have indicated this restriction with orange cones that block off the stacks. Instead, you can explore various materials in the displays we have prepared for you.
    • Only touch what you intend to check out. All of our changes to browsing books were created to limit patrons’ physical contact with books. We appreciate your efforts to keep this contact low.
    • Ask a staff member to find the book you want. If you are searching for something particular and it is not in the displays, please ask one of our staff members to retrieve the item from the shelves.
    • Take advantage of our NEW! self-checkout machine! We are so excited about this addition to the library, and we hope you’ll give it a try during your next visit. You simply scan your barcode (or enter the numbers manually) and then scan your items. The prompts on the screen will help you through the process, and any of our staff members are glad to help you with any questions. 
      Our new self-checkout machine!

 

    • Stand behind the barrier during checkout with a staff member. Acrylic barriers have been added to one side of the circulation desk while the other side is completely blocked off. We ask that you stand behind these barriers and slide your items underneath.

 

Computers Open for One-Hour Sessions

    • You are now able to use the computers for one-hour sessions. We have reduced the number of available computers to five in order to follow safe social distancing practices.  Appointments are not required, but they are available to guarantee a station for the time you want. Staff are unable to assist patrons with the computers in order to ensure proper social distancing.

The most important part of our updates is that ALL people entering the building MUST properly wear face masks over their mouths and noses. Our staff continues to wear protective gear and practice all sanitation practices such as routine hand washing, disinfecting, and social distancing.

 

In addition to these updates, our curbside pickup service is still available. Continue to return checked-out items to the outdoor drop box. All fines and fees on materials will be waived during this time.

You can also use the Princh app to print documents from your phone, tablet, or computer. You can call the library and we will help you with this process and bring the documents out to your car!

All of our virtual resources are still available for your use, and we continue to bring you virtual programs such as storytime, virtual crafts, Dance Around the World, and more.

We thank you for your patience and cooperation during this time, and we are excited to see some of you back in the building!

Curbside Pickup Open

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

Curbside pickup is now available at Rostraver Library!

What does this mean?

Patrons are able to pick up their books through a low contact method of interaction. A library staff member will communicate with you and bring the book(s) to you once you arrive at the library. The building is still closed to the public.

How does it work?

  1. Browse the catalog to virtually search for books. Find the catalog by clicking on the icon that looks like your library card on our website. Remember to limit your search results to the items that are available at Rostraver Library.
    Check the box next to Rostraver Public Library to limit your search to books we own.

    Be sure to check if the book is available or checked out. This will be shown beside “Local Availability.” The number outside the parenthesis indicates how many copies are available and the number inside the parenthesis shows how many copies the library owns. 0 (of 2) would mean that zero of the two copies are available to be checked out.

    Make sure to check if the item is available at the library. In this case, “One Minute Out” is available.
  2. Either request the book online or call us (724-379-5511) and tell us your name and the book’s title and author. We will pull the book off of the shelf and check it out to you.
  3. Arrange a time with us when you can pick your book(s) up. Our current hours of operation are Monday-Friday 10am-2pm.
  4. Call us when you arrive in the library parking lot.
  5. Have your books hand-delivered by a staff member to your car door!

Returns and Due Dates

All items checked out will have an extended due date and auto-renewals will be processed. No fines will accumulate during this time.

Returned items can be placed in the book return box. We are not accepting donations during this time. 

Safety Practices

The library staff wears masks and gloves, and all returned books are quarantined for several days before being checked in. After the books are brought into the building, they are set aside and staff immediately dispose of their gloves and wash their hands. As a result of this quarantine time, there will be a delay checking in your books. We ask that you wait a week after returning items before calling the library with concerns on their status.

WiFi

If you need to access our WiFi, it reaches to certain spaces in the parking lot. The spaces closest to the library will receive the best service.

 

All of our programs will continue to be held virtually. Find news about our programs on Facebook, Instagram, and our website. All videos will be posted on our Facebook and Youtube.

Energy Audit at the Library

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

Today, Envinity, Inc. of State College visited the library to work on an energy audit. This audit was funded by a grant from the West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund that Rostraver Library received in March 2019 (you can read the grant press release here).

While at the library, Envinity carried out an initial meeting to discuss the history of the building and how the library got to be where it is now. They evaluated the building’s HVAC, counted lights, and took temperatures throughout the building. The library’s usage in gas and electricity was also evaluated.

Envinity members utilize the PA Room and SMART Board for their meeting.

In approximately 4-6 weeks, Envinity will present suggestions to make our library more sustainable. Using the information collected during today’s visit, they will help us explore different energy options and how those alternatives can be effective for our space.

We are excited as we move forward towards the goal of becoming energy efficient and sustainable. Follow our journey as we share any updates in the coming months.

Welcome to RPL’s Blog

Posted on by Laura Daugherty
Front Entrance

Inspiring our community to learn, create, connect, and grow.

At Rostraver Public Library, we are always looking for ways to fulfill our mission statement. As an effort to better connect with our patrons, we have added this blog to our website. Here, you can read more about our events, be updated on library news, find book recommendations, and more. You can help us learn how to grow by commenting on the blog posts and giving us feedback about what you want to read about or see happening at the library. We may create the content, but we will act as a community with your help.

Rostraver Library offers a wide range of events, resources, and spaces for the entire community. Whether you are interested in educational programs, crafts, children’s activities, clubs, or movies, our events will offer something to fit your goals and passions. Stop in the library and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to check out all of our resources.

Children's Room
Children’s Room

As summer approaches, the library will be humming with the many programs and, most importantly, wonderful patrons who continuously support the library. Our website Events, Clubs, and Summer Reading Quest pages will be continuously updated with the summer’s activity. Our  events calendar on the Home page most clearly organizes the layout of these events and provides a convenient way for patrons to register for some of the events that require registration. As always, call us or stop in the library with questions.

This blog will provide answers to common questions, share news, and allow a more extensive look at what is happening at the library. We hope that readers will be able to better understand our mission and how we constantly aim to help the community learn, create, connect, and grow.