Calvert Library Expands Building Hours and Storytime August 24, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Robyn Truslow 410-535-0291
One year after opening with limited public hours due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Calvert Library is expanding their building hours to 57 hours a week. Beginning the Tuesday after Labor Day, all library locations will be open 9am to 8pm Monday through Thursday, noon to 5pm on Friday, and 9am to 5pm on Saturday.
Additionally, the library is reinstating weekly in-person, indoor Storytimes. Executive Director Carrie Willson said, “We know how important early literacy classes are for our community. Not just for our little ones who learn those critical basics during the most significant stage of brain growth but even for their caregivers who learn tips for getting the most impact out of their time with their young children. We also hear how much parents appreciate the chance to be with other adults and other children at the same developmental level as their child.”
Willson continues, “In order to make these classes available to a population that is not yet eligible to be vaccinated, we have conferred with the Health Department and have set strong guidelines for our librarians and participants.” Locations have been chosen to provide enough space to allow household groups to be socially distanced from each other. Registration is required to facilitate contact tracing and to limit the number of groups based on the size of the space.
Calvert Library Prince Frederick and Fairview Branch will host their Storytime Inside classes in their large meeting rooms. Twin Beaches Branch will host theirs at the Northeast Community Center. Southern Branch will host theirs at the Southern Community Center. Per Health Department guidance for an enclosed space with unvaccinated participants, masks are required for all adult participants and those attendees over 2 years of age who are able.
Because being able to see the expression and mouth of the librarians doing the reading is important, librarians will be twelve feet from participants and may remove their mask when reading or singing. All Storytime librarians are fully vaccinated.
For those uncomfortable with masking or indoor gathering with unvaccinated people, weekly Storytime Outside is continuing at various locations throughout the county like Wetlands Overlook Park, Kings Landing Park, Annmarie Gardens and Fairview Branch’s field.
Willson concludes her statement by saying, “Our librarians were magnificent in their pivot when COVID required us to close our doors to indoor visitors for more than five months. They offered Storytime Snippets, Storytime Online, Storytime Outside and even Storytime to Go! We are so pleased to have this next adapted version bring language and learning to our youngest Calvert Countians, despite the challenges of the pandemic.”
To register for Storytime or other library classes, visit Calvert Library in person or online at calvertlibrary.info or call 410-535-0291.
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Robyn Truslow Public Relations Coordinator Calvert Library 850 Costley Way Prince Frederick, MD 20678 410-535-0291 410-535-3022 Fax rtruslow@calvertlibrary.info<mailto:rtruslow@calvertlibrary.info>
Robyn Truslow She/Her/Hers Public Relations Coordinator Calvert Library 850 Costley Way Prince Frederick, MD 20678 410-535-0291 410-535-3022 (fax) CalvertLibrary.info<https://calvertlibrary.info/> [https://calvertlibrary.info/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/CalvertLibPurpleTeal2017LogoCALVERTREADSsmall.png]
