From The Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — The Trussville Public Library is offering several programs to help members get through the coronavirus pandemic. Although the inside of the library is closed, there are still online and curbside options available.
In the month of June, the library circulated 22,908 items. That includes checked out, checked in and renewed items, according to the latest report. The library even added 10 new members in June.
The Trussville Public Library is offering a virtual Summer Reading Program. Assistant Director Jason Baker said it is important to keep readers of all ages active with books and activities.
“It maintains and creates engagement early on with kids across the summer with reading,” Baker said. “We have programming all year round but for kids, it’s maintaining that bridge form the end of school to the beginning of school and maintaining eyes on words.”
Baker said Summer Reading is also a form of outreach for the library. Typically, participants log their reading hours and take part in various age-based crafts. Now, they can do all of that from home. The program is online and craft bags can be picked up curbside. Prizes can also be picked up curbside.
Participants can use a digital sign-in to access reading logs.
“One of the big things that we had already begun the process of rolling out, prior to having to do summer reading during a pandemic, was this app called Beanstack that allows the user to report and track their reading,” Baker added.
Baker said Beanstack will be used throughout the year to manage multiple reading challenges.
In order to keep library members safe, the circulation staff puts checked-in books in quarantine for 72 hours before returning them to the shelves. All transactions are handled online or over the phone. Anyone who wants to join the library can sign up for a library card online.