Category: General News

The library will be closed on Sunday, May 9, in observance of Mother’s Day.

We are returning to our schedule of spring book sales this month!

The library will be holding its annual Used Book Sale from April 22-25 in the McAmis Room (main level) of the library.

The sale opens at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 22. It continues during regular library hours on Friday (10 a.m. – 6 p.m.) and Saturday (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)

On Sunday, April 25 — the final day of the sale — any items left at the sale will be sold for $1 per brown bag full from 1-3 p.m. We even provide the bag!

Even though we had a sale in the fall, we have had quite a few larger donations of books for the sale, in addition to items removed from the library’s collection. Items include adult fiction and non-fiction, young adult novels, children’s fiction and non-fiction, audiobooks, classic VHS tapes, and DVDs. Materials for the book sales consist of donations from the public, as well as books that are no longer needed in the library’s collection.

Proceeds from the book sale are returned to the library’s budget to purchase new materials for circulation in the library.

The library will be closed on Tuesday, February 16, due to road conditions and extreme cold temperatures.  All due dates are extended until our next day of operation.

The Library will be closed on Monday, January 18, 2021, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The Sikeston Public Library will be closed from Thursday, December 24, 2020 through Friday, January 1, 2021, for the regular library holidays and for deep cleaning and sanitizing of the library. We will reopen at 10 a.m. on Saturday, January 2, 2021.

The library will close at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 25 to start the Thanksgiving holiday.

The library will be closed on Thursday, November 26, and Friday, November 27.

Regular hours resume on Saturday, November 28.

MoLib2Go, our collection of e-books and downloadable audiobooks is available 24/7. You can also browse the physical collection of the library at sikeston.missourievergreen.org. With your library card number and password, you can log into your account to browse the collection, place holds, and renew materials.

The Sikeston Public Library was one of 39 Missouri libraries that were awarded more than $870,000 through the Missouri State Library to help residents access high speed internet for telehealth and distance learning in response to COVID-19.

Six initiatives were launched on July 2 as a part of the Rapid Broadband Deployment Initiative which uses the state’s CARES Act funding. The broadband funding for Missouri libraries allocated up to $2.5 million for this program. The Missouri State Library and Missouri Department of Economic Development reviewed and approved grant applications.

“Innovative and impactful proposals show how libraries can play an important role in advancing telehealth and higher education needs in their communities. COVID-19 has disrupted so many aspects of everyday life, and libraries have stepped up to fill in gaps that wouldn’t otherwise be met,” said State Librarian Robin Westphal.

The library was awarded over $12,000 for expanded bandwidth, upgrades to wireless access, and updated computer equipment.

As part of a Missouri State Library grant program, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft announced that Amigos Library Services, which operates the Missouri Libraries 2 Go (MOLIB2GO) digital eBook and audiobook access program for 106 Missouri libraries, was awarded $74,000 to expand access. Sikeston Public Library is a member of this consortium, which offers digital access to educational, informational, and recreational items to library patrons.

“Early on, as libraries were closing due to the coronavirus, we immediately recognized that demand for eBooks and similar resources would increase rapidly – and, because of its convenience, that the demand may never subside,” Ashcroft said. “State library staff worked quickly to make these funds available to Amigos, which operates MOLIB2GO. Providing digital access to all types of materials to Sikeston Public Library patrons has become priority number one.”

Through Amigos, Sikeston Public Library offers eBooks and audiobooks through the OverDrive platform and provides a wide selection of popular materials that patrons can access for free with a library card. With a library card, members of the community can borrow from the digital collection by visiting the OverDrive library website URL or downloading Libby, the award-winning one-tap reading app from OverDrive.

“This was exciting news for us,” said Ron Eifert, director of the Sikeston Public Library. “The additional purchases should reduce wait lists for some of our most popular titles, and it will add new titles to the collection as well.”

Readers may browse Sikeston Public Library’s digital collection, instantly borrow titles and start reading or listening for free with a valid library card. This service is compatible with all major computers and devices, iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phones and tablets and Chromebook™ without waitlists or holds. Through Libby, readers can also “send to Kindle®.” All titles will automatically expire at the end of the lending period and there are no late fees. Readers can also download titles onto Libby for offline use. To get started enjoying ebooks, audiobooks and more, visit molib2go.org or download Libby today.

If you have never accessed MoLib2Go with your library card, visit the library’s circulation desk for your account information to get started.

This grant is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Missouri State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.