By Pamela West-Finkle

I hope everyone is handling the COVID-19 situation OK. We are blessed to live in such a beautiful area where we have plenty of clean water, clean air, and pristine nature to spend our time in. For whatever reason, we have been given an opportunity to slow down our busy lives, spend quality time with our families, and to learn to go within while perhaps simultaneously learning to go without.

A friend sent me the following: “Some of us, such as our healthcare workers, will be on the front lines, fighting to stop the bloodletting, choosing who lives and dies, witnessing the casualties, suffering the saturation which is already here and will only get worse. However, the rest of us have this strange and unique opportunity to stop everything not vital to our survival and well-being. We have the moral responsibility to self-isolate, stay home, stay clean and do some soul-searching. In ‘normal’ times saving lives takes courage and heroism.  Now, all you need to do to save lives is to stay at home and read a book.”

Here is the Andes Public Library statement that was released to the public on March 17, 2020:

• The library will be closed Thursday, March 19 through Monday, April 13^th (which includes all regularly scheduled clubs and groups). We will reassess the situation as of April 13^th.
• In keeping with our current policy, all fines will be waived for any overdue materials. There is no need to return items while the library is closed. PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ITEMS ON THE PORCH OR IN THE DROP BOX. KEEP THEM UNTIL WE REOPEN.
• Holds on Interlibrary Loans and our van delivery are suspended until further notice from the Four County Library System.
• While our building may not be open, our online resources are available 24/7—including eBooks, eMagazines, eAudiobooks, through the Four County Library System Website (www.4cls.org) and corresponding apps for your personal devices. Look for the Libby and Flipster apps on your device app store; all of them are free.
• Library Wi-Fi remains available to patrons from outside the building on your personal devices.
• Our library director may be onsite during the closure to continue our barcoding process.  If you are desperate to receive materials, please email an.ill@4cls.org or call 845-676-3333 with the titles of books, audiobooks, or DVDs you would like. Items can be packed for porch pickup.  You will receive a call when your items will be made available to you.

This decision was made after much careful consideration. The health and safety of our community is of the utmost importance to us.

Be safe.

Sincerely, The Staff and Board of Trustees of the Andes Public Library~