Evening,
I want to update the community in regards to the new library and our services. Please know that the following words are not written out of fear but out of love for our community. Also, they honor the recommendations of our civic leaders. Our in-person library services here at the Tonganoxie Public Library are suspended until further notice, which also means there will be no ribbon-cutting next weekend. This was a difficult decision to make and one I personally have struggled with for the past couple of weeks. There is so much we don't know about the coronavirus (COVID-19), and as the days go on, new developments come to light.

One thing I do know for sure is that we will start delivering services to the community and surrounding areas beginning Wednesday, April 1, 2020, but in a new way. To kick off our new e-services, I will host a live stream book club online where we can continue to connect as human beings and work through this together. The first book selection that I have chosen is Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: One Introvert's Year of Saying Yes by Jessica Pan.
If you would like to get started on the book, it is available on
Hoopla with two different formats, audiobook or eBook. (look for more details to come in the following days) Other live stream services to look forward to are:

• Tuesday Story Time with Ms. Susan: a program for children of all ages (starting Tuesday, April 7)

• Thursday Real Talk with Ms. Susan: Parents, do you find yourself working from home and watching your children all at the same time? Are you tired of reading article after article to find the answers? Please join Susan every Thursday to receive practical tips and ideas from a mother of seven who homeschooled for 20 years! (starting Thursday, April 2)

• Weekly Book Recommendations from Staff (**only books will be recommended that you can find digitally)

• Weekly check-in phone calls from a staff member (**if you are at home and would like to talk with someone even if it's about the weather, we have you covered! Please email me directly at director@tonganoxielibrary.org, and we can set up times.) Please note that we will be calling our regular at-risk patrons as most of them do not have social media accounts.

• We will continue to offer free Wi-Fi 24/7 on the east and west side of the new library. I recommend parking on the east side of the building as it seems the connection is a bit stronger.

While we take this time to think about our physical health, please make sure that you are taking care of yourself mentally. Being a social worker for over 17 plus years, I know how difficult that can be to navigate. The following links are helpful resources that can be utilized during this difficult time. As always, if you find yourself in a state where you are thinking about hurting yourself, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

• Coping with Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks https://store.samhsa.gov/system/files/sma14-4885.pdf
• Coronavirus Anxiety: 4 Ways to Cope with Fear https://psychcentral.com/…/coronavirus-anxiety-4-ways-to-c…/
• Manage Anxiety & Stress https://psychcentral.com/…/coronavirus-anxiety-4-ways-to-c…/

Please know that the staff and I are continuously thinking of ways to offer services without putting anyone's health at risk. When more information is available about the virus, we are looking at providing limited access to the library collection. We would love to hear your feedback in ways that we could be serving you (but from a distance)! As always, we miss you; we wish you well and cannot wait to see your smiling faces! As far as future communications, please look for weekly posts on our website and all our social media outlets.

Lastly, I have attached some pictures of the new library and how we are trying to make it homier by adding little touches to different areas.

Sincerely,
Nicole
Tonganoxie Library Director