April 2021 Update

Whitinsville Social Library remains closed to the public. Town officials will reopen the library when Northbridge’s COVID-19 cases decrease.

Thank you for all your phone calls, social media comments, and thank you cards. These times are difficult for everyone and hearing kind words from our patrons has helped the staff through tough days. We know you miss browsing the stacks and in-person programs. We want everything to go back to “normal” too.  Please, for the health of the staff, their families, your neighbors, and yourself, hang in there. Do your part and wear a mask, keep social distancing, stay close to home, and get vaccinated. The sooner the case numbers go down in town, the sooner you’ll be able to walk the library’s aisles again. 

 If the schools are opening soon, why not the library? The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is requiring public schools to reopen. Public libraries do not fall under the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Teachers were eligible for the vaccine on March 12. Public library staff and librarians were NOT approved to get the vaccine early by the state. Most of Whitinsville Social Library’s staff must wait until the general public can get vaccinated on April 19. According to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners website (https://mblc.state.ma.us/covid/index.php) only 26 libraries in Massachusetts are open for in-person browsing and 238 are closed to the public.

In the meantime here’s a few reminders: We are scheduling appointments for Parking Lot Pick Up from Monday - Saturday. See our event calendar to learn more about our weekly virtual programs and craft kits. Not sure what you want to read or watch or books to get your kids? Fill out the Library Sampler Request form and library staff will pick out items for you. We offer remote online resources including access to ebooks on Overdrive. The bookdrop is open. All items are quarantined for at least 72 hours before checked in. All fines returned on late items are forgiven until the Library reopens. Keep checking our website, Facebook, Instagram, e-newsletter, and local newspapers for updates. Thank you!