With over one hundred requests fielded every day, hundreds of new books to add, and dozens of new library users, our library staff has been hard at work providing access to our collections. But we know the question on everyone's lips; when can I visit the library again? Well, mark your calendar: we will be providing in-person access to the library, during limited hours, starting on Monday, September 14!

Access to the New Section and Circulation Desk will be available, at the start, for four hours each day, Monday through Saturday. (Yes, that's right: Saturdays are back, starting on Saturday, September 19!)

Grab and Go Pickup will still be available according to our previously established schedule (as a reminder, that's Monday 11-7, Tuesday 11-7, Wednesday 11-2 and 4-9, Thursday 11-7, and Friday 11-7), with additional time to pick up your items on Saturdays between 10 and 2.

As we move forward over time, more areas of the library and additional services, including photocopying, study spaces and computer access, will be restored. On the subject of computer access, read on...

While we may not have access to the internet through our public computer terminals yet, our newest project is designed to bring internet access into the homes of Cranford Public Library cardholders who need it the most. Through an agreement with internet access provider Mobile Beacon, starting on Monday, September 14, visitors who hold a Cranford Public Library card will be able to reserve and check out, for 48 hours at a time, a kit containing a CoolPad Surf Mobile Hotspot and an Apple iPad. This kit will providing internet access to anyone within the range of any cell tower. By "loaning out the internet," we hope to provide the necessity of access to Cranford cardholders in need, from the safety and comfort of home. Borrowers who own their own mobile devices will be able to access the internet through these mobile hotspots as well. Starting on Monday, September 14 as well, borrowers can reserve Mobile Hotspot/Device kits by calling (908) 709-7272 during library operating hours, will be required to show identification and sign a waiver before taking the kits out of the library, and will not be permitted to use these kits for illegal activities. All devices will be thoroughly sanitized before they are made available for another library user to borrow. More details will follow as we approach the start date for this new initiative.

During this period of altered service, one project we've been working on is a comprehensive update of our online library catalog. On Monday, September 21, You'll see new search features and options, and for the first time, you'll have the ability to sign up for a new library card online! Eligible people (that's if you live, work, attend school, or own property in Cranford) will be able to begin registration through our online catalog, gaining immediate access to many of our online databases. After this, they will be contacted by a library staff member to verify their eligibility. Of course, if you're reading this, it's very likely that you already have a library card. But there's news for you too: starting on the same day, you will be able to set up automatic notifications via email or text, so that you can get reminders when your items are due, your requests are available, or your card is set to expire.

One more important date to know: To perform these updates, the library's catalog will be unavailable to patrons and staff on Thursday, September 17.

We've been fielding a lot of questions about this, and are thrilled to report that Wowbrary, our newsletter highlighting the newest items at the library, will return on Monday, September 21. To those who haven't signed up for this yet, it's a great way to find out what's new at the library - and, by clicking on an item, to be one of the first people to place a request! You can sign up for Wowbrary here: https://www.wowbrary.org/signup.aspx

From the Board of the Friends of the Cranford Public Library.

. . .

As always, we thank the Friends of the Cranford Public Library for all that they do. As we work with the Friends to organize a sale, we ask for your continued patience in not dropping off your donated books, as, without a scheduled sale, we would not have room for the volume of donations we would receive. We would also like to thank the Friends for setting up the "I'm Yours" gift cart at the Walnut Street entrance, where visitors can take home a free gift: a surprise selection of books, connected by a theme, to be opened at home. Finally, as more museums open to the public, we will begin lending of a number of our museum membership passes, donated by the Friends, on Monday, September 21.

Great programs are happening at your library!

Virtual Game On! for Teens on Wednesday September 9, 2020 at 4:00 pm

Literary Cafe on Saturday, September 12 at 10:15 am

Theater Project on Saturday, September 12 at 2:00 pm

Eyes of the Wild Animal Rescue on Saturday September 19 at 9:00 am

Baking with the Teen Librarian on Wednesday, September 23 at 4:00 pm

Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting on Thursday, September 24 at 7:00 pm

Over the course of the month, we will be making a few changes to library processes, as we take steps to reopen:

All library book returns are now open. Books and other items (not including museum membership passes and mobile hotspot/device kits) can be returned after hours at the Walnut Street entrance or the rear parking lot.

On Thursday, October 1, The number of Hoopla downloads per month, per library card will return to their original maximum of five. This measure will help us reduce costs so that we can continue to expand our physical and digital collections: according to our most recent statistics, over 90% of our library users.

Prior to closing our library building in March, placing requests for library items was a privilege limited to Cranford Public Library cardholders. When we initiated our Grab and Go service, we made the decision to temporarily expand this privilege to all cardholders with cards issued by libraries participating in the MURAL agreement. Many of these home libraries were not yet offering lending services in June, leaving their residents without any option to borrow materials, and, without access to our physical building, we were unable to extend in-person borrowing privileges outlined in the MURAL agreement. Now that other libraries in Union and Middlesex counties have restored lending services, and now that we are instituting hours in which MURAL borrowers can visit the library, we will be returning to our original procedures starting on Thursday, October 1st. Online requests placed by cardholders from MURAL-participating libraries prior to October 1st will be filled, but new requests will be limited to Cranford Public Library cardholders. In-person borrowing will be available for MURAL cardholders starting on Monday, September 14.

The Library will be closed on Monday, September 7 for the Labor Day holiday.

I am sure there are many questions on these new steps, phases and initiatives, and over the next few weeks, expect updates and clarifications as needed.

As always, I'll close with a reminder to visit our Online Resources page to access ebooks (through our eLibraryNJ and hoopla digital libraries), newspapers, and other digital databases, and stay tuned to the Cranford Public Library Facebook and Instagram pages for more library info. We hope you're staying safe, healthy and educated, and we look forward to seeing you - in person - after the 14th!