The St. Mary’s County Library began a temporary reduction of services which began on Friday, November 13, 2020. Curbside services will continue uninterrupted including picking up materials by appointment, drive-through service at Leonardtown Library, and printing services via curbside.
All Library buildings will be closed as we move to an appointment system. The Library plans to open the buildings for appointments to use the public computers, make copies, or use the fax machines starting Monday, November 17. Public use of the Library to browse the collection will not be permitted.
The Library is changing our service model temporarily to keep our customers and our staff safe during the current COVID-19 surge. We are working closely with the St. Mary’s County Health Department, following guidance on safe practices, and abiding by the state-wide mandates. We plan to reopen the buildings to the public as soon as it is deemed safe for both our staff and our customers to do so.
Appointments
The St. Mary’s County Library plans to open the Library buildings, by appointment only, starting Monday, November 17. The process for making an appointment will be explained on the Library website, www.stmalib.org, as well as shared via email to our customers and on our Facebook page. Appointments will be for computer use, copy/print use, or fax machine use. Browsing the collection will not be permitted. Staff, when available, will be able to help customers with computer, copy/print, or fax questions while maintaining a safe distance. Staff will not be helping with personal devices.
Curbside pickup
Hours of operation will continue to be Monday through Thursday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 12 noon to 5 p.m. Closed Sundays. Customers may reserve materials online through the Library website or by calling the Library. Customers will be notified via email (or the preferred contact method set in the customer’s Library account) when their items are ready to be picked up. Once notified that holds are available for pickup, customers should use our online scheduler to schedule a time to pick them up. Instructions for using the online scheduler are available on www.stmalib.org. Customers are also welcome to call the Library to check on holds and schedule a time to pick up items if they do not have the ability to use the online scheduler.
Pickup at new Leonardtown Library is at the drive-through window on the side of the building. Please park in designated spots at Charlotte Hall Library and Lexington Park Library for curbside service.
Please wear a mask and do not leave your vehicle when you come to pick up your items. Library staff will be wearing personal protective equipment and practicing social distancing during curbside transactions. We prefer to place your items in vehicle trunks or through windows at which no one is seated. Please do not return items to staff. Use the book drops to return all items.
“It is with heavy hearts that we make these changes,” said St. Mary’s County Library Director Michael Blackwell. “We were one of the first libraries in Maryland to restore in-branch services, and rolling back some services as unwelcome for us as for our customers. We make these changes to maintain as many essential services as possible while trying to ensure the safety of the community. We look forward the day when we can reopen completely for our full hours with all our services. Be safe and well!”
