City of Blue Island Think Outside the Loop
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Beginning September 28, 2020, the library will be resuming regular weekday hours of 9 am-9 pm Monday-Thursday, 9 am-5 pm Friday and Saturday.
Blue Island Public Library will continue to observe public health directives, including regular disinfection of surfaces, requiring masks, and social distancing of all library patrons and staff in the building. Clorox wipes are available at all computer work stations, and hand sanitizer is available throughout the building. Book and materials returns are quarantined for 7 days before returning to circulation, no fines will accrue on items during quarantine. Public meeting rooms are closed, while Children’s Tot Spot and Makerspace will remain unavailable until further notice. The library building occupancy will remain at 25% of capacity. Building ventilation intakes have been opened to their maximum to increase airflow in the building. Programming is planned to take place virtually, via our Facebook and Youtube channels, except for those programs that can be held outdoors in a socially distanced space.
Blue Island Public Library is finishing up capital projects made possible through a Live and Learn Mini-grant from the State of Illinois. The boiler has been retubed, and a new burner will be installed in the coming weeks, giving peace of mind that the building can be heated for decades to come. You may have noticed the improved appearance of exterior; the cleaning and tuckpointing of the stone not only gives the building a fresh look, but also prevents water intrusion into the building envelope.
Recently, the library has beefed up our virtual resources, with the addition of 14 new databases available for use with a library card. Check Consumer Reports, download books and movies, and research school projects all from the library Downloads and Databases page. Through a matching grant with the Illinois State Records Advisory Board and the generous support of the Friends of the Library, a digitized edition of the historical Blue Island Sun Standard is now available online. Fascinating accounts from Blue Island’s long history can now be accessed to anyone with an internet connection.
Feel free to call or email for reading suggestions or help with signing up for events. As always, information about ongoing library programs is available on the library events calendar and our virtual newsletters. Sign up here for all the latest! Drop by and do a spin on our sidewalk chalk obstacle course outside the library, check out the hottest new books for fall, and take advantage of the technology available in our Tech Annex. We look forward to a time in the future when we can once again welcome you for in person programming and events; until then, stay safe and well.
