The Princeton Public Library will open starting Thursday May 21st. Our library board has discussed, at length, the need to provide our patrons with vital services while keeping our staff and patrons safe.

Vulnerable people should continue to stay safe at home.

Sick people should stay home.

We welcome those who wish to use the library, with the understanding that being in this public space carries some level of risk.

As is the case in many communities, our library provides the only free public computer access for homework, job searches, unemployment filing, and other vital activities. We also fax time cards, copy legal documents, and allow people to connect with others online. Finally, we provide information and entertainment to help people maintain their mental health, a particularly tough challenge for many in this time of uncertainty and isolation.

For these reasons, we believe that it is important to open our doors. We will work hard to ensure the safety of our staff and patrons, while providing materials and services that many people can't get elsewhere.
 

Library Reopening FAQs:

What will our hours be? Normal pre-pandemic hours: Mon-Thurs 9am-7pm, Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 9am-1pm. (Hours to be reviewed at the June 1st board meeting to ensure staff is not overworked.)

What is our maximum capacity at this time? 10 people including staff.

Will we allow meeting room use? No.

Will we allow children inside the library? Yes.

Will we allow PC use? Yes, but computers will be spaced six feet apart, Chromebooks will not be available, and gaming will not be allowed on computers—for any age.

Will bathrooms be open? Yes. Bathrooms will be sanitized regularly.

Will we take cash/card payments? Yes. Staff will wear gloves while taking payments and then dispose of them, or wash their hands after handling cash/cards.

Will we require staff to wear masks? Yes, except when alone in the back office.

Will we require patrons to wear masks? No, but we recommend them.

What if patrons are not comfortable entering the library? We will still provide curbside service to those who want it.

Will we provide senior hours? Yes. Thursdays between 9-10am will be reserved for seniors and those who are vulnerable. We ask others to stay out of the library at this time.

What other safety measures are we taking?

• We will regularly sanitize frequently touched surfaces.
• Returned items are quarantined for 72 hours.
• Seating will be spaced six feet apart.
• The water bubbler will not be used (it will be taped off).
• There will be a sneeze guard at the circulation desk.
• Toys will be put into storage.
• Hand sanitizer will be provided to patrons and staff.
• No in-person programs will take place at this time.

Signs posted in the entrance and inside the building will advise people:

- We are sanitizing surfaces regularly, but we cannot guarantee the library is germ-free. If you are extra-vulnerable, we encourage you to stay home and try our free ebooks and audiobooks on the Libby app.

- We recommend that you wear a mask and wash your hands regularly.

- Look, don’t touch, unless necessary. If you touch an item that you don't take, please put it in our book drop so we can quarantine it.

- If you are sick, stay home.

Coming soon!

Our Current Services: FAQs
We want to address some questions that have popped up. We are proud to continue to serve you during this difficult time.

How do I contact you? 
920-295-6777
director@princetonpublib.org

I Returned An Item. Why is it Still on My Account?
We are quarantining all items for 72 hours before we check them in. This means that even though you returned something two days ago, it may still show up on your account. 
When we do check them in, we will back-date them, so you won't get a late fee.
 

Can I Get Items from Other Libraries?
Deliveries from other libraries will start happening soon. However, due to the need to quarantine items and keep our staff safe, delivery may be slower. Please be patient.

Can I Return Library Items Now?
Yes, please do! Other people are waiting for them.
We are taking returns in our outside book drop. It's a metal door set into the wall on the east side of the library (the right side, if you're facing it from the street). Please don't try to hand returns to staff, or leave them in our lobby-- we are taking these items out of our book drop with gloves and placing them in quarantine for the time required to for the virus to die.

Can I Donate Items Now?
Yes, please do. We accept gently used books, dvds, cds, audibooks and vinyl. Anything not cataloged for our collection will go on our ongoing and annual book sales. Proceeds go to the Friends of the Library.

Why Aren't I Getting Texts or Emails About Holds?
Our computer system is still dealing with with aftereffects from the shutdown. Sorry about that!
We'll call you until the problem is fixed.

I'm not comfortable coming into the library yet. Can I still get materials?
Yes, we are still offering curbside services. Give us a call to schedule a pickup time: 920-295-6777.

Can I Print/Fax/Copy at the library?
Yes. 
If you are not comfortable coming into the libriary, you can email us your documents, and we will print, fax, or copy them for you and then arrange a pickup time with you. 

I Don't Want Items From Other Libraries.
How Do I Place a Hold on Princeton Items?

Here's a step-by-step picture guide to placing holds on Princeton items. Click on it and zoom in to make it bigger.

Start at our website, princetonpublib.org.

How Do I Browse Princeton Items?

Start at our website, princetonpublib.org.

We have thousands of ebooks and audiobooks you can borrow for free! Download the Libby app. More info at https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby/

Downloading Ebooks & Audiobooks FAQ

What's the difference between Libby and Overdrive?
Both are great, free programs for downloading library ebooks and audiobooks. Both draw from the same collection of books.

Overdrive is the older version. It is the only one that works with a Kindle Fire. Some people find that it works better for downloading things to your computer, especially if you are then transferring them to another device (like an mp3 player). Learn more here: https://app.overdrive.com/ (Download links are at the very bottom.)

Libby is the newer version. Some people find that it is more user-friendly. It works with Apple CarPlay. However, it does NOT work with Kindle Fires. Download it here: https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby/

You can use whichever one you're comfortable with, but don't switch back and forth-- it confuses the computer system.
You can't download more books by using both.

You can have more than one library account on either one, so that family members can share a tablet or other device without using up all your checkouts.

Both apps require a PIN. Your PIN is a four digit number-- it's the phone number you used when you signed up for your library card.

Both apps require you to put in your library card number.

What if you don't have a library card?
Usually, we required photo ID and proof of address to issue library cards. However, because of the virus situation, we are issuing temporary card numbers to people so that they can download free ebooks and audiobooks from our Libby app. Email your full name, birth date, phone number, and street address to director@princetonpublib.org and we'll give you a library card number. It will expire in six months, and you'll need to come in and show us a photo ID and proof of address then.

What if you have a library card from another system?
You can add a card from there too! Another library system's collection of books may be different from ours.

Want to Bookmark your page? You can. But your book will automatically open or start where you left off.

Want to return a book? You don't have to-- it will automatically disappear from your device when due. But if you need to free up the space, or want to be nice to someone waiting for the book, you can return a book early. See how here: https://help.libbyapp.com/6033.htm#aanchor22

Want to go to sleep listening to an audiobook? Click the little moon symbol to set a sleep timer. Your book will stop playing after 15 minutes, when you're in dreamland.

Is the audiobook narrator too slow or too fast? You can adjust the speed.

Not sure about a word? Tap and hold any word to learn its meaning.

Print too small? You can adjust the size and the font for easier reading.

For Libby tutorials, go here: https://help.libbyapp.com/index.htm?tocpath=Home%7C_____0

For Overdrive help, go here: https://help.overdrive.com/en-us/home.htm

You may need a library card to access some of our resources. If you don't have one right now, go here to get one, free: https://vulgus.winnefox.org/onlineregFAQ.html

The Alzheimer's & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin have created free online classes to support to caregivers, families, and friends impacted with Alzheimer's and dementia. If you would like to sign up for any of the classes, click on this link:   ADAW.May_.VirtualEducationPrograms.pdf   (Under each class, you will see "Click here to register.")

Overdrive is our most popular online resource-- download ebooks and audiobooks for free!
If you have a smartphone or tablet, download the Libby App. 
All you need to do is sign in with your library card number and PIN. Your library card number is all the numbers on the back of your library card, with no spaces. Your PIN is four numbers, the last four numbers of the phone number you gave us when you signed up. Books are available for all ages, and we recently added many more titles. You may have to wait to download some books, but others are available 24/7. J.K. Rowling recently released the audio and ebook versions of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for unlimited checkouts with no waiting until April 30th.

Need financial assistance? UW Madison has put together a great list of resources.

Do you have a young student at home? Check out Story Time Online, KidLit TV, Scholastic's Learn at Home, a list of 30 online "field trips" with live cameras or virtual walk-throughs, a sample daily schedule for kids, a great list of resources at Read Wonder & Learn, Live Learning videos with LivBits, Mystery Science lessons for grades K-5, and 1 Hour Coding for Kids for K-9th grades. Finally, here's a HUGE List of at-home educational entertainment resources, including live webcams, activities and more.

Do you have an older student at home?
Check out the Winnefox Tech Skills Center, where you can learn technology skills at your own pace by watching these video tutorials on popular software and computer basics.
You should also visit our Research Page for more great links, including homework help, genealogy resources, automotive repair guides, Consumer Reports, language learning, and lots more.

Want more free ebooks?
Sesame Street is offering some free ebooks for kids right now.
The Internet Archive's Open Library has textbooks, classics, and even some juvenile chapter books like The Giver by Lowis Lowry, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, and Matilda by Roald Dahl.
 Open Culture has a nice list of older classics.
The National Emergency Library is a collection of mostly older non-fiction books that supports remote teaching, research activities, independent scholarship, and intellectual stimulation.
Project Gutenberg has over 60,000 titles (mostly older).

Do you miss the Book Page magazine? Sign up to get a digital copy.

Need to connect with people digitally? Here are some resources for online meetings:

• Microsoft Teams https://products.office.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/group-chat-software
• Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/solutions/facebook-live
• Google Hangouts https://gsuite.google.com/products/meet/
• Zoho https://www.zoho.com/meeting/
• Zoom https://zoom.us/
• Join.me https://www.join.me/