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Coronavirus COVID-19

Posted on 14 March 2020 in Announcements, Delays and Closures

UPDATE: 4/7/2020

Due to Governor Holcomb’s stay-at-home orders and continuing health and safety concerns due to novel coronavirus COVID-19, both locations of the library will continue to remain closed through Monday, May 4th. We hope to begin providing limited services such as curbside hold pickups on Wednesday, April 22nd.

What does this mean for me?

  • Anything you have checked out right now isn’t due until June 1st. PLEASE keep your materials at home, do not return them to the library.
  • Your library card registration is extended through September so you shouldn’t have any problems accessing online resources.

What can I do while the library is closed?

  • Our WiFi is still available from outside the building 24/7 and you are welcome to bring your own devices to use it. We just ask that you remember to maintain social distancing by keeping at least 6 feet apart from others.
  • Your library card gets you FREE access to all kinds of great online resources available from home. Here are just a few:
    • Hoopla: check out digital movies, music, ebooks, audiobooks, and comics (5 checkouts per month)
    • OverDrive: check out ebooks and eaudiobooks (10 checkouts per month)
    • Flipster & RBdigital Magazines: check out digital magazines (unlimited checkouts)
    • Freegal: stream or download digital music (24-hour streaming through 9/30)
    • Ancestry Library Edition: research your family history
    • Mango: learn a new language

    There’s plenty more on our Online Resources page, just look for anything with this symbol:  

  • The Indiana State Library has put together a great page with information on everything from activities for kids to tips on working from home for the first time.

What if I don’t have a library card?

You can sign up for a temporary library card online by filling out this form. That number will let you use services like Hoopla, Libby, Freegal, and more. Just remember to bring your photo ID and proof of address once the library is open again so we can get you a permanent card, otherwise your card will expire in September.

What if I forgot my library card number or my PIN?

You can contact us through the Ask A Librarian form or our chat widget – located in the bottom right corner of the screen on our website – and we can look your card number up.

Your default PIN is the last four (4) digits of the phone number you used when registering for a library card. If you don’t remember what that was, ask us and we can reset it for you.

Stay in touch

For up to date information regarding the library and our status, please follow us on Facebook @jefflibrary or on Twitter @JTPLtweet. Library staff will be on hand to answer your questions on social media.

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Ribbon Cutting & Grand Opening

Posted on 29 January 2020 in Announcements, Events

Join us for the grand opening of our newly remodeled main library and the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Tom & Mary Frances Koetter Makerspace:

Thursday, February 6, 2020
Ceremony  4:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Open House  4:30 – 6:00 p.m.

Light refreshments will be served; however, we ask that guests refrain from eating and drinking in the makerspace.

View of the makerspace

View of the new Makerspace

We appreciate your patience throughout this renovation and can’t wait to share all of the exciting changes with you!

Your library is now FINE FREE!

Posted on 1 November 2019 in Announcements

Have you heard? Starting November 1st, JTPL is no longer charging overdue fines! All we ask is that you bring your items back in a timely manner.

We have a whole page explaining this new policy in greater detail, but here are a few frequently asked questions:

  • You said you waived fines, so why do I still have charges on my account?
    • The only thing we have waived is overdue fines. Charges still incur for lost or damaged items, replacement library cards, and collection agency (Unique Management Services) costs.
  • So what’s the difference between a fine and a fee?
    • A fine is a charge for an overdue item. Fees are for lost or damaged materials, collection agency referrals and products such as replacement library cards.
  • How will you get people to bring anything back now?
    • No overdue fines doesn’t mean no responsibility. If your item is 20 days overdue or more, we mark it as LOST and bill you for the replacement cost plus a $4 processing fee. Your library account is also blocked until you pay these fees, and fees of $25 or more are referred to our collection agency, Unique Management Services, along with a $10 collections fee.

We’re excited to make this change and provide even greater access to our library’s resources!

Libraries Transform Book Pick: After the Flood

Posted on 9 October 2019 in Announcements, Resources

Our library is joining public libraries nationwide in a new digital reading program, the Libraries Transform Book Pick, which offers access to the same ebook for a two-week period. The first ebook selection is the newly released title After the Flood by Kassandra Montag, published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

After the Flood will be available with unlimited access October 7 — 21, 2019 through our OverDrive collection. You will only need a library card and either the Libby app or a Kindle device to download a free copy of the ebook. There will be no waitlists or holds for the digital copies of this title during that period.

After the Flood is an inventive and riveting climate fiction saga from a promising new author. In a starred review, Booklist states, “Montag’s thrilling debut takes place in a future climate-change-altered world overrun by water. Anchored by a complicated, compelling heroine, this gripping, speculative, high-seas adventure is impossible to put down.” And Karin Slaughter, international bestselling author of “The Last Widow,” calls Montag “a visionary new talent!”

The Libraries Transform Book Pick is brought to you by the American Library Association and OverDrive. For additional information about the program and ebook and additional resources like a discussion guide, please visit ilovelibraries.org/libraries-transform-book-pick.

Already finished After the Flood and ready for more? Check out these read-alikes:

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Main Library Construction Updates

Posted on 2 May 2019 in Announcements, Delays and Closures

For more information on the Main Library renovation project, visit our renovation project page.

Access Restrictions

The following areas are unavailable either temporarily or permanently:

  • North Program Room – unavailable through June 6, 2019
  • South Program Room – unavailable for the duration of the renovation
  • Gates Computer Lab – unavailable for the duration of the renovation
  • South entrance – permanently closed; emergency exit only

Please note that the meeting rooms at the Clarksville Branch are available for public use during this time, and many Main Library programs have been relocated there. You can use these links to reserve a meeting room or view our online calendar.