News Flash

To coincide with the opening of schools, all locations of the Burke County Public Library will resume a regular operating schedule beginning Monday, August 17. Hours for each site will be as follows:

Operating under the Governor’s Phase 2 guidelines, the library will continue to limit the number of people that can be in the buildings and offer access by appointment only. Appointments will be available at each library for various services such as computer use, study rooms, browsing for books, reading the day’s newspapers, or researching in the local history room. To provide as much access as possible, but to also maintain social distance, the appointments will be for limited amounts of time such as no more than 30 minutes to browse for books and up to an hour for public computer use. Times may be extended if no one is waiting.

The library continues to ask that all materials be returned to the outside book boxes rather than be brought inside. All returned materials will be quarantined for at least 72 hours and be sanitized prior to being put back on the shelf. The library has a 4 day grace period for returned items so no overdue fees are accrued while items are in quarantine.

For those that want to check out items but not come inside, the library will maintain its Books2Go curbside service. More details about the curbside service can be found on the library’s website at bcpls.org.

The library continues to expand its offering of online programs and curbside activities for all ages including a digital storytime group, virtual tours, craft/activity bags, teen gaming, and Zoom book discussions. In August, some limited in-person programming for young adults and adults will resume with small groups, masks, and social distancing.

For more information call the library at 764-9261 (Morganton), 874-2421 (Valdese), or 764-9283 (C.B. Hildebrand).