I’d like to retract the press release I sent yesterday subject line: Calvert Library Soon to Welcome Bookmobile (press release). It looks like we have a delay. I’ll be back in touch when we have a new date for the Ribbon Cutting. I apologize for the inconvenience.
Robyn Truslow
She/Her/Hers
Public Relations Coordinator
Calvert Library
850 Costley Way
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
410-535-0291
410-535-3022 (fax)
Calvert Library Soon to Welcome Bookmobile
September 28, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Robyn Truslow
410-535-0291
Calvert Library invites the community to the ribbon-cutting for the new Bookmobile on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 2pm at Harriet Elizabeth Brown Community Center on Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick. RSVP’s are requested to calvrsvp@calvertlibrary.info or by registering online at calvertlibrary.info by October 12, 2021.
When Calvert Library was first created in 1959, it relied heavily on a bookmobile to provide service on our long narrow peninsula. There was one physical location in Prince Frederick that was only open on Fridays, 1-9pm. Monday through Thursday, our county was served by the first Calvert Library bookmobile. That bookmobile was replaced by Rolling Tomes in 1970. In 1981, the Twin Beaches Branch opened in North Beach and Fairview Branch opened on Rt. 4 at the old Fairview Elementary School. Rolling Tomes continued to make community stops throughout Calvert County. In 1988, the Southern Branch was opened in Lusby and Rolling Tomes was replaced with a van called Traveling Editions. With four physical locations opened, Calvert Library’s Outreach service switched from community stops to visits focused on licensed childcare providers and homebound individuals (usually elderly or disabled customers for whom travel was difficult).
When state funds became available in 2009, the rather long-in-the-tooth Traveling Editions van was supplemented with a Chevy Traverse for material exchange. As Traveling Editions became less reliable and yes, even decrepit, the Outreach Team relied more and more heavily on the SUV for their visits…reserving Traveling Editions for the visits to childcare providers where the children were able to get on the van and select their own materials from the small collection, as they might in the library.
One of the biggest challenges Calvert County has is that you can’t really walk to most destinations…other transportation is required. We have quite a few citizens for whom that is a struggle, children especially. And while each physical location of Calvert Library is on the county public transit system, that transit system is limited and children rarely use it.
So once again, the community began suggesting that the library needed a bookmobile to bring the library into communities, especially during after-school hours in those neighborhoods with many children. In 2018, while he was a County Commissioner, current School Board member Pat Nutter championed making a new Bookmobile a reality for Calvert County, successfully getting the $200,000, 26-foot-vehicle included in the budget for fiscal year 2019. Friends of Calvert Library provided $23,000 in funding and a Library Services and Technology grant provided another $24,000. This replaces the 33-year old van and upgrades the miniature library-on-wheels to include two computer workstations for customers, a printer, Wi-Fi service, a wheelchair lift to make the vehicle accessible and an awning to allow for comfortable outside service and events. The vehicle has a generator to power the technology and warm/cool the vehicle even when it is not running but it also has large batteries that can be solar charged so the generator will not have to run most of the time. This vehicle also has more safety features than the old van, such as front and rear proximity sensors, backing alarm and exterior cameras.
Community stops include such locations as East John Youth Center, SMILE, Prince Frederick Senior Village, Solomon’s Town Center Park and Silverwood Farms. While a preliminary route has been established, Calvert Library Mobile Services team will continue to gather community input and evaluate best deployment. Expect to see the bookmobile at community events like the County Fair and National Night Out as well.
Calvert Library Mobile Services Supervisor Lisa Wieland said, “We are so excited to extend our service through the bookmobile. We know we will be able to answer more questions, provide more learning opportunities, increase access to technology and share more straight-up joy! Our Mobile Services team is so grateful to the many people who have made this service possible for Calvert County.”
The schedule for bookmobile stops can be found online at calvertlibrary.info. For more information, call Robyn Truslow at 410-535-0291.
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Related Links
Robyn Truslow
Public Relations Coordinator
Calvert Library
850 Costley Way
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
410-535-0291
410-535-3022 Fax
Robyn Truslow
She/Her/Hers
Public Relations Coordinator
Calvert Library
850 Costley Way
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
410-535-0291
410-535-3022 (fax)
Calvert Library Kicks off One Maryland One Book
September 16, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Robyn Truslow
410-535-0291
Calvert Library has already begun hosting book discussions of this year’s statewide read, The Book of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay. The Book of Delights is a collection of lyrical essays. Gay wrote one essay per day over a tumultuous year and took the time to find “delights” in his everyday life. The essays range in topic from the beauties in nature to what it is to be a black man in America. Readers can look to Gay’s collection as a guide to finding their own daily “delights.”
One Maryland One Book is Maryland’s statewide community reading project and is the signature program of the Maryland Center for the Book at Maryland Humanities. This year-long project culminates with two months of public programs, using literature to spur conversations in communities around the state. One Maryland One Book is designed to bring diverse groups of Marylanders together in library, school, or community settings to share a common reading experience by discussing a work of literature and participating in related events.
“Our community is always very active in the One Maryland One Book project,” said Carrie Willson, Calvert Library Executive Director. “Our library staff have come up with creative, engaging events…of course, book discussions, and also prose and poetry writing workshops, an open mic, and even ‘delightful’ StoryWalks® with the American Chestnut Land Trust. There will also be a chance to meet the author virtually on October 4.”
Emily Mudd, Assistant Branch Manager at Fairview Branch, is coordinating the programs this year. She said, “We are particularly excited about the StoryWalks®. Bring your phone to scan the QR codes you encounter on your walk and we’ll read to you! You can even hear Nikki Giovanni reading one of her poems. We have one walk for children featuring “Going on a Bear Hunt” and one for everyone featuring a variety of poems and essays. We love this opportunity to partner with ACLT to bring literature, nature and well-being together.”
For more information call 410-535-0291.
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Related Links
Calendar of Calvert Library OMOB events: https://bit.ly/OMOB21events
Robyn Truslow
She/Her/Hers
Public Relations Coordinator
Calvert Library
850 Costley Way
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
410-535-0291
410-535-3022 (fax)
Calvert Library Staff Member Positive for COVID
September 10, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Robyn Truslow
410-535-0291
A member of Calvert Library Fairview Branch staff has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. The staff member worked in the public space on September 7, 8 and 9.
The fully vaccinated staff member worked with the public following library COVID-protocol; had no close contact with customers greater than 15 minutes, maintained 6 feet of social distance, washed/sanitized their hands regularly and wore a mask covering their nose and mouth at all times while working with customers. Risk should be minimal to any library customers, but please follow Health Department guidance or your physician’s recommendations if you visited the library during the affected time period.
Staff members who were not yet fully vaccinated and had close contact with the team member in the days prior to the positive test are quarantining per CDC guidelines. They are able to work from home providing phone and email reference, virtual programming planning, training, etc. Staff members who had close contact but are fully vaccinated are consistently wearing masks over their nose and mouth and closely monitoring their health for possible symptoms per Health Department guidance.
Please know that the safety of our staff and the public we serve is our top priority. We will continue to take the proper precautions and promote social distancing. The CDC continues to recommend that you wear a mask over your nose and mouth when in public spaces, wash your hands frequently with soap and water, avoid touching your face and make sure to practice social distancing by staying at least 6 feet away from others. If you are feeling ill, please stay home.
We will continue to work together through this difficult time, and we will continue to keep you informed of any new information over the course of this pandemic.
For more information call 410-535-0291.
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Related Links
Robyn Truslow
Public Relations Coordinator
Calvert Library
850 Costley Way
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
410-535-0291
410-535-3022 Fax
Robyn Truslow
She/Her/Hers
Public Relations Coordinator
Calvert Library
850 Costley Way
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
410-535-0291
410-535-3022 (fax)
Calvert Library Board of Trustees Requires Masks for All Visitors
September 3, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Robyn Truslow
410-535-0291
COVID cases continue to rise in Calvert County and have now reached higher positivity rates than this community has seen in the six months before and after the new year holiday spike that prompted Calvert Library to shift to phone/curbside-only service for three weeks. Calvert County is classified as an area of high transmission. Given how contagious the Delta variant has proven to be, the Board of Library Trustees (BOLT) has now issued a mask requirement for all visitors to Calvert Library.
BOLT President, Jeffrey Lewis, said, “Our neighboring county recently closed a library branch temporarily because they were no longer able to staff the building due to COVID. On the advice of Calvert County Health Officer Dr. Polsky, the library has been recommending that customers wear masks since July. Based on his advice, and since transmission rates are higher now and inside storytime is about to begin, the Board voted to require that customers wear a mask during their visit. For those who do not want to wear a mask covering their nose and mouth, our staff are happy to serve them through contactless curbside appointments for materials and even print or copy jobs. Reference questions and technology training can be done over the phone or via Zoom. Wifi is available in our parking lots and we even have Chromebooks and hotspots that customers can check out. We want to continue offering library services to anyone who needs them. Hopefully this will be a temporary measure and when transmission rates drop we will be able to allow fully vaccinated customers to go back to not wearing a mask.”
Vaccines continue to be available from the Health Department and appointments are easy to get through https://www.calvertcountycovid19.com/vaccination or by calling 410-535-5400x388.
For more information, call Robyn Truslow at 410-535-0291.
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Related Links
Robyn Truslow
She/Her/Hers
Public Relations Coordinator
Calvert Library
850 Costley Way
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
410-535-0291
410-535-3022 (fax)
