Alert

Central Library Holds Pickup Service Closing at 4pm Sunday and Closed Monday; Will reopen on Tuesday, January 26 More Info

Arlington Public Library

Service Updates

Central Library Holds Pickup Service Closing at 4pm Sunday and Closed Monday; Will reopen on Tuesday, January 26

Central Library’s Holds Pickup Service will close at 4 p.m. on Sunday, January 24 and will remain closed on Monday, January 25 after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. This staff member did not have recent contact with the general public and there is no concern for exposure to library patrons.

As a precaution, Central Library will undergo a deep cleaning and sanitizing. Any items currently on the hold shelf and due to be picked up will be extended an extra day. Customer Service help via phone and online chat will remain available during all regularly scheduled hours. Central Library Holds Pickup Service will resume Tuesday, January 26.

Arlington Public Library works closely with the Arlington County Department of Public Health and will follow recommended procedures to protect the health of staff and patrons.

Library Calendar

Holds

  • Holds due to be picked up Sunday, Jan. 24 and Monday, Jan 25 will be available on Tuesday, Jan. 26.

ALERT: Scheduled Library System Downtime Wednesday, Jan. 13 Starting at 7 p.m.

On Wednesday, January 13 at 7 p.m. the Library catalog and accounts system will undergo a scheduled upgrade.

During this time you will be able to search the catalog, but access to the eCollection and patron accounts on the web and in the Library App and will be unavailable.

Items already checked out in the OverDrive, Libby and RBdigital apps will not be affected.

Library Operations Update: Express Library Service

At Shirlington and Westover

In November 2020, the Arlington County Board approved bringing back limited temporary workers to assist in reopening the Shirlington and Westover Branches for Express Library Service. (The County continues to have a hiring freeze, in place since March 2020, for permanent Library staff.)

Opening Date to be Determined

While an opening date is not yet set, we want to provide a more detailed view of the new service. Library staff have been working hard behind the scenes to configure the two branches.

When Express Library Service opens at Shirlington and Westover, patrons will be able to:

  • Browse collections for up to 30 minutes
  • Check out materials
  • Pick up holds
  • Use self-serve checkout stations
  • Use the public single-stall restrooms

All other services will be unavailable, including public seating, meeting rooms and public computers.

Proposed Open Hours

Hours and days are subject to change.

  • Tuesday through Thursday: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Shirlington Service Desk
Navigation arrows at Shirlington
Westover service desk
Westover entrance and book return
Westover stacks
New self check station at Westover

Safety Remains a Top Priority

Arlington Public Library continues to work closely with the Arlington County Government leadership and the Department of Public Health to make decisions about Library operations.

We are carefully considering the safety of library staff and patrons, and the operating status of the Express Library Service locations will be re-evaluated every two weeks going forward.

Ongoing Library Service

At this time, the Holds Pickup Service at Central Library will continue to operate as scheduled and patrons can use online services 24x7.

Thank you for your continued patience. We are eager to reconnect with more library patrons in 2021.

Send Us Your Feedback

If you have a question that requires a response, need help accessing your Library account or placing holds, please contact us by phone, online chat or text.

RESOLVED: eBooks and eAudiobooks from OverDrive are Temporarily Unavailable

Resolved December 29, 2 p.m.

If you continue to have issues with your OverDrive account, contact OverDrive help and support.

We are experiencing a temporary OverDrive outage.

eBooks and eAudiobooks currently do not appear in the Library catalog, and login access to the OverDrive and Libby apps is unavailable.

We apologize for the inconvenience, and hope to fix the outage as soon as possible.

HOLIDAY CLOSINGS: The Library will be closed January 1

Central Library will close at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31, and be closed on Friday, January 1 for New Year’s Day.

Central Library will be closed for holds pickup on Thursday, Dec. 24 and Friday, Dec. 25 for the Christmas holiday.

Book returns will remain open at all locations except the Columbia Pike Branch, which is under construction.

 

October 22: Library Operations Update

COVID-19 and FY2021 Budget Impacts

Arlington Public Library continues to work closely with the Arlington County Government leadership and the Department of Public Health to make decisions about Library operations. These decisions are made carefully and in consideration of a range of factors including budget, staffing models, demand for services and community health conditions.

As the economic impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic continue, Arlington County is working to close a projected $28 to $39 million budget gap between County expenses and revenues in the current fiscal year, which ends on June 30, 2021. To close the FY 2021 budget gap, the County will use a number of approaches including service reductions and delayed facility openings. (Please see the County’s full press release to learn how the entire FY 2021 budget gap will be closed and for information on how to give feedback to the County Board.)

What Does This Mean for the Library?

The Library is operating with significantly less staff than pre-pandemic and will continue to do so for the remainder of the fiscal year.  The Arlington County Government hiring freeze, in place since March 2020, affects the Library’s ability to fill vacant positions and to use temporary workers to achieve our typical staffing levels.

Why Can't We Do More?

At present, current staffing levels allow for the operation of the 7-day a week Holds Pickup service at Central Library and book drops at six branch locations. The Holds Pickup service is a more labor-intensive staffing model than our normal way of doing business, due to health and safety considerations for patrons and staff. 

What Are Our Next Steps?

Providing equitable access to our services remains a priority for Arlington Public Library. Library leadership will work to reevaluate and rebalance offered services to increase access to Library collections.

Any additional services would be offered at limited locations and for limited hours and will mean a reduction in the hours of the Holds Pickup service at Central Library. Stay tuned for an update on services in December.

Please continue to send us your feedback. We read and consider all comments.

If you have a question that requires a response, need help accessing your Library account or placing holds. Instead, please contact us by phone, web chat or text.

ALERT: Holds Due To Be Picked Up October 16-19 Are Extended To October 20

Due to a messaging outage, holds due to be picked up Friday, Oct. 16 – Monday, Oct. 19 will be held at Central Library until Tuesday, Oct. 20.

We apologize for any confusion this may cause. Please check your library account to confirm your current hold status (i.e.: on the hold shelf). Please note: Any items currently on the hold shelf and due to be picked up October 16-19 will not reflect the correct pick up date of October 20 in your account.

If you need help resetting your account password during this time, please contact us by phone, chat or text.

Notices meant to be sent Friday, Oct. 9 – Monday, Oct. 12 are being sent now. Because of the backlog, some message in the queue for today (Tuesday, Oct. 13) may not go out until Thursday. Other emailed library notices, including overdue reminders and autorenewal confirmations, may not be delivered. Please check your account online for the status of any checked out items. Since July 1, daily overdue fees have been eliminated.

 

Access Restored to Library Catalog, Patron Accounts, Library App and eCollection

Update: Access to all Library systems has been restored as of 10 p.m.

Due to a planned system maintenance, the Library’s catalog and patron accounts system, as well as the Library App and eCollection will be unavailable as of 9 p.m. on Friday, October 9.

Any items already checked out in your OverDrive, Libby or RBdigital apps will be available, but you will not be able to perform any actions that require checking into your library account.

The maintenance is expected to take approximately one hour.

Library Operations Fall Update

Since June 15, over 175,000 print books and other library materials have been checked out or renewed and close to 130,000 physical holds have been placed. Impressive!

As we look to the future of Library operations, staff at Arlington Public Library will work closely with the County leadership and the Department of Public Health to determine how to best move forward. Locally, COVID-19 cases remain above target thresholds and Arlington County continues to experience community spread.

Plans for the Fall

We believe it is of paramount importance to protect the safety of Library patrons and staff, and that slowing community spread of the COVID-19 virus is a community-wide effort.

We are in this together.

For now, Arlington Public Library will continue to operate the Holds Pickup service at Central Library and book drops at six branch locations in order to prioritize safety and ensure access to print materials for as many residents as possible.

Over the past six months, we have expanded our digital collections and we continue to offer online storytimes, author talks and book clubs.

We believe this service model best matches the current conditions, and best positions us to meet the expected increase in demand for library materials as the academic year begins.

Looking Forward

We share your belief that the Library is a cornerstone of our community and we acknowledge the hardship it causes to many when our physical Library spaces are inaccessible.

We are eager to reconnect with our beloved community and we plan to reevaluate Library operations in October.

What Can Yo Do?

  • Please be patient – It does take longer to process holds during current conditions.
  • You have five days – You will be contacted when your hold is ready and you have five days to pick up materials once notified.
  • Manage your holds – If you’re going out of town or don’t want to receive a book at this time, don’t forget to freeze your holds.

We understand that Arlington readers love their Library as much as we do. Please continue to send us your feedback, which we use along with staff input and public health data, to inform ongoing planning.

Send Us Your Feedback

If you have a question that requires a response, need help accessing your Library account or placing holds, please contact us by phone, online chat or text.

Moving towards a phased reopening will take all of us working together — responding to a pandemic is a marathon, not a sprint. Thank you for your support of Arlington Public Library.

Stay safe and hopeful,
Your Arlington Public Library Team.

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