Library buildings are closed until further notice as we prepare to follow Minnesota Department of Health guidance on social distancing. We are working on reopening in phases while making sure safety protocols are in place as well as the supplies to maintain them. We are offering limited services, including curbside pick up of requested items at all libraries, and are working to add others. Book drops are open for returning materials. Please check back for updates.

Cosmos Library news, July 2020

Cosmos Public Library is continuing to offer services, some familiar and some new. While the library itself remains closed to the public, curbside delivery, the summer reading program, and more are available to help you get what you need.

The library is offering curbside pickup during all of its normal business hours: Mondays 10-5, Tuesdays 2-5, Thursdays 2-6, Fridays 2-5, and Saturdays 10-1.

To place a request for books, DVDs, or CDs, go to the Pioneerland catalog at iii.pioneerland.lib.mn.us to search the library system’s collection. We are getting deliveries from other libraries in the system, although not from around the state. When you find something you want to request, use your name, library card barcode, and PIN to request it. If you haven’t set up a PIN before, you can do that as part of your first request. If you have trouble at any point in this process, call the library for assistance.

You can also request things by calling the library at (320)440-1012. Tell the staff member your library card barcode number, and they will request the things you want. You can request specific things or just something general, like a few mysteries, a stack of picture books, or some books about a particular subject.

You can also request magazines and newspapers by phone, since there isn’t a way to search those in the catalog. Magazine issues will be checked out to you and must be returned. Newspapers won’t be checked out to you, and you can return them if you choose, through the book drop.

When your items are ready for pickup, you’ll get an email if you have chosen to get notifications that way, or you’ll get a call if you haven’t. Then you can park behind the library by the curbside pickup sign anytime during curbside hours, call the library and read off your library card number, and wait in your vehicle while staff checks out your materials and brings them to the chair outside. When they go back in, you can grab your bag and go. If you walk or bike, please wait by the cones to allow for distance from library staff.  If you don’t have a cell phone to call with when you arrive, call in advance to schedule a time library staff can expect you.

The book drop is open, so please return your library items there.

If you or anyone in your family is ill, we ask that you wait to use these services until you’re well. If you need more time to return items because of that, give the library a call and we’ll renew them.

This year’s summer reading program is called Dig Deeper, and the theme is about investigating and discovering. Cosmos Library has recently launched this summer’s program. There’s no need to sign up the kids this year – just request summer reading sheets when you pick up your curbside order, or stop by outside and call the library to request a pickup of the summer reading things. Like usual, there’s a sheet for kids 3-12 and a different one for ages 12-18; if they’re in the preteen and early teen years, it’s really up to them which sheet they use. The kids’ game sheet is simplified this year so that there’s one prize for every sheet turned in.

Make sure to write your child’s full name on the completed sheet as well as their prize choice before turning it in through the book drop. Plan on picking up the prize the next day or later through curbside. We can put prizes in your book pickup bag or just give you a prize delivery. Prize choices will be displayed on the library windows, on a prize list sent with the reading logs, and online.

There will also be popsicle sticks for the kids to turn in for each book they read, which staff will use to build a tower in front of the library windows to show how much the kids in Cosmos are reading this summer.

Keeping with the investigation theme, the Cosmos Library Facebook page is featuring a kid detective matchup this summer. Paper voting slips will also be available. Vote for your favorite of two kids’ book detectives going head to head, and the winner will advance to the next bracket. We’ll find out at the end of the summer which one is the Cosmos favorite. Will it be Encyclopedia Brown? Nancy Drew? Theodore Boone?  Watch our Facebook page to place your votes and find out.

Since the library won’t be holding in-person programs this summer, kids will be able to pick up take-home crafts and activities. Watch for announcements of those kits online, which will be available to take from a box behind the library during library hours certain days.  The Facebook page will also offer Lego challenges to complete at home and a teen drawing contest.

Wi-Fi remains available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week outside the building. Library staff is available to help over the phone or by email with research questions. Ebooks and downloadable audiobooks are available through the library’s Overdrive service (and are extremely popular these days). The library has a new online homework help resource called BrainFuse that’s available on our website. It’s a free resource for kids with live tutors available between 2 and 11 p.m. every day. There’s a Summer Camp feature to help kids keep up their math, science, and writing skills this summer.

Pioneerland Library System is working on making more services available as safety protocols can be put in place. Visit the library’s website at https://www.cosmos.lib.mn.us/ for the latest information.

Curbside on-demand now available

Our curbside pick-up service is now available on-demand 5 days a week! You no longer need to schedule an appointment unless you don’t have a cell phone to call us when you arrive.
 
Place your holds online or by calling us. When you’ve been notified that your holds are ready, you can park in the designated spot behind the library anytime during our curbside hours. Call the library at (320)440-1012 and tell us your name and library card number. We’ll check out your holds and bring them to the chair outside the library. When staff goes back inside, you can take your bag of items.
 
Curbside hours for Cosmos are currently Mondays 10-5, Tuesdays 2-5, Thursdays 2-6, Fridays 2-5, and Saturdays 10-1.
 
Please bring your returns to the book drop. Thank you so much!

PBS Books Storytime

PBS Books has started offering a daily storytime on Facebook.  You can also access the videos on YouTube.  Here’s their first one, “Madeline Finn & the Library Dog” by Lisa Papp, read by the author.