From South Orange Public Library:
April 23, 2020
Though the building is closed until further notice, the South Orange Public Library continues to provide service to the community in a variety of ways during this unprecedented time.
“The building is closed, but the library is not,” says director Melissa Kopecky. “Please reach out to us with comments or suggestions or to share your stories.”
Our phone lines are open from 11 am to 3 pm every weekday, but hours may soon be expanded. By calling 973-762-0230 during those hours, patrons can speak to library staff directly. They can also email librarian@sopl.org with any concerns or questions, including asking for library card access.
Cardholders have a number of digital resources available to them, all available off the library’s home page, www.sopl.org. These resources include ELibraryNJ for downloading digital books and audiobooks, Kanopy for streaming films, and Mango for learning languages. Our librarians have also curated a list of free adult and children’s resources from around the Web. We are also regularly adding content to our Youtube channel.
We have developed a regular schedule of virtual events using Facebook Live and Zoom that appeal to all ages and interests. From storytimes to book discussions to a general conversation group, the library is striving to find innovative ways to reach our community, with more programs being added each week:
- Chapter Book Read-Aloud on Zoom Mon-Wed-Thurs 12 pm
- Middle School Read-Aloud on Zoom Tues-Wed-Fri 3 pm
- Facebook Live storytimes Tuesdays & Fridays 11 am
• Babies & Bigger Storytime on Zoom Wednesdays 10 am
• Creative Writing on Zoom Wednesdays 1 pm
• Book/Movie Discussion Group on Zoom Thursdays 2 pm • Teen X-Change on Zoom Thursdays 4 pm
• Conversation Group on Zoom Fridays 1 pm
For access to any of these events, patrons can email librarian@sopl.org or call the library (973-762-0230) between 11 am and 3 pm during the week.
The library wants to begin collecting our community’s stories, anything that would be relevant to this time and the place. These stories may be sad, happy, community-minded, artistic, about weeks, a day, or a fleeting moment. Are you finding or making sidewalk art, new ways to celebrate important days, creating poetry or music? We want you to share it with us! Post on your social media platforms with the tag #SOPLourstories, or email us at ourstories@sopl.org to add it to our local history collection.
Finally, for the latest library news and developments, we encourage patrons to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and also subscribe to the SOPL e-newsletter, which is published weekly during the shutdown. A subscription link is on the bottom of our home page.
