Greetings,

What a difference a couple of weeks make!  Last month we decided to try to get the Andover Libraries’ monthly newsletter into the Beacon, which meant that the newsletter needed to be completed two weeks ahead of press time. In the intervening two weeks the world has been turned upside down by COVID-19, and everything we wrote then is completely obsolete or simply wrong now.

Thankfully, the Beacon was able to do a last minute change or two.  So, here is what you need to know about the libraries now.

•Following the directive of the Governor and the New Hampshire State Library, all New Hampshire libraries are closed in order to help all of us stay safe and healthy.

•Please do not return books to the drop boxes outside the libraries. It seems the best way to “disinfect” books is with time. Please keep them until after the libraries officially reopen.

• We will no longer be offering WABL walks. However, Chase Hill Road and Emory Road are still there and are still a beautiful place to walk for anyone and everyone who would like to get outside and enjoy some of the best views Andover has to offer.  Feel free to park at the East Andover library.

•If your child needs an internet connection to do distance learning now that schools are closed and you do not have wifi at home, please know that you can park in front of the WABL and get wifi. Please do not use the library’s wifi to download copyrighted materials such as songs or films (i.e. bootlegging) as this will result in our wifi being shut down. The wifi outside the Bachelder Library is a little more reliable than the wifi outside the Andover Public Library. It will be left on and aimed towards the parking lot.

• The State Library’s digital resources (e-books, audio books, and magazines) are not only still available, but they are expanding. You need to download the app, Libby, from your usual app store. Once you open the app and use it for the first time, the main thing to remember is that your card number to use Libby is: 4300  followed by your regular library card number. Please let us know if you are having trouble getting set up. Lee can best be contacted via e-mail at wablibrary@nullgmail.com and Priscilla at andoverpl@nullcomcast.net. If you do not have a library card, contact us at one of the above e-mail addresses, and we’ll sign you up for a card and give you a number so you can use the State Library resources.

• All the public librarians in New Hampshire are part of a list serve and have been exchanging tips for things to do while staying at home. We’re happy to pass those tips along as we get them. If you don’t receive our newsletter, and you’d like to receive those tips in newsletters from us, please contact us at wablibrary@nullgmail.com and you’ll receive them as we send them out. We’ll also post them on our website: andovernhlibrary.weebly.com/.

Stay safe, healthy, and happy,
Priscilla and Lee