General News
The Sikeston Public Library is seeking bids for the replacement of the roof on the library building at 121 E. North Street in Sikeston, MO. Bid specifications may be picked up at the library between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Sealed bids will be accepted through 4:30 p.m. on Monday, July 6, 2020, at which time the bids will be opened at the monthly meeting of the Sikeston Public Library Board of Trustees.
We are open for limited hours beginning Thursday, May 21. Library hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. We will be closed for Memorial Day on Monday, May 25.
Just a few reminders/requests/guidelines for your library visit:
1. For everyone’s comfort, please observe social distancing (six feet apart throughout the library). Footprints at the circulation desk mark a six-foot distance while waiting for checkouts. Every other computer is inaccessible to help with this process, and half of the seating in the reference area has been removed.
2. Masks are encouraged, but not required.
3. Maximum occupancy is 33 people at any given time.
4. All business in the library (browsing, computer work, reading) is limited to one hour.
5. The reading room is closed for the next two weeks, because of the difficulty of sanitizing newspapers and magazines between uses.
6. Passport processing and photographs will not resume until July 1 or later, due to the fact that the Department of State is only processing emergency, in-person applications at this time.
7. Please return all library materials to the outside book return, or to our book return on the circulation counter. For the safety of our workers, they are not handling returned materials over the counter.
We realize that we are being extra-cautious, but our Board of Trustees isn’t willing to gamble with the safety of our staff or patrons. If all goes well with library operations and infection numbers, we plan to resume full hours of operations on Monday, June 1.
At the library’s Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, May 4, the following timetable was approved for a gradual reopening of the library. All dates are tentative and subject to change.
May 5, 2020 — The library will resume curbside pickup service. Hours of service will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday. Our previous method of no-contact delivery will be observed. Patrons can place holds through their library accounts, or call us at 471-4140 to request specific books. Patrons are asked to call us again from the parking lot so that we can pass materials through the window to the left of the front doors and place them on the bench. We ask that all returned items be placed in the outside book return for daily retrieval and quarantined for 48-72 hours. Our virtual storytimes will continue. Library staff will resume book talks for adult books and begin book talks for young adult books.
May 21, 2020 — Our tentative plan is to reopen to the public with shortened hours – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and limited services. A limited number of public access computers will be available; half of the computers will be taken out of service to promote social distancing. Half of the seating in the reference area and reading room will be removed to promote social distancing. We plan to have Plexiglas barriers in place to protect staff and patrons at the circulation desk. All books returned over the counter and through the book return will continue to be quarantined for minimum of 48 hours until threat of coronavirus is deemed to have passed. The library’s community rooms will not be available for public use during this time. No face-to-face programming will be offering, but virtual programming will continue.
June 1, 2020 — The tentative plan is to resume regular hours on Monday, June 1. We will continue to practice distancing for computers and in the reference area. Quarantining of books will continue as long as the threat of spreading the corona virus remains a concern. Use of McAmis Community Room will be allowed for small groups only as long as it is not in use for library activities.
TIMELINE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS
Annual Used Book Sale
The annual used book sale will be postponed until late summer. We are committed to having the book sale, but current social distancing rules are not conducive to a fun, successful sale.
Summer Reading Program
The timeline and structure of our Summer Reading Program is still evolving. We are committed to bringing summer reading programming to the children of our community in a fun, safe manner, in whatever form that may take.
The Sikeston Public Library has made the difficult decision to close to the public, effective Wednesday, March 18 through Sunday, April 5. This is based on the actions of our local school district, as well as other libraries across Missouri.
We will be offering curbside service for library materials. If you have an existing hold that it ready, or have other titles that you would like to check out, call us at 471-4140. For your convenience, you can browse the library’s catalog at sikeston.missourievergreen.org
We are going to attempt virtual storytimes and online book talks.
We encourage you to follow us on Facebook to stay updated on the latest happenings with the library.
Due to concerns of the spread of the coronavirus, our AARP Tax Aide volunteers have announced that they are suspending tax preparation indefinitely.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
The Sikeston Public Library will be closed on Monday, February 17, in observance of Presidents Day.
The library is pleased to announce that tax preparation assistance will be available again this year at the library.
Volunteers from the AARP Tax-Aide program will be in the McAmis Community Room (main level) at the library from 12:30-3:30 p.m. on Thursdays, beginning on Thursday, January 30. They will assist taxpayers by filling out and filing simple tax returns. They will be filing both federal and state forms, including the Missouri PTC forms.
All tax filing will be done on a first-come, first-served basis; appointments will not be taken. Please be sure to bring all tax-related paperwork that you have received, including W-2 and 1099 forms for work performed, receipts for rent paid, and proof of Social Security income.
The library is not trained to give tax advice; instead, we rely on this great group of volunteers who have the training and experience to make sure that your tax filing is done correctly and thoroughly.
We are pleased to announce that the Sikeston Public Library has been awarded a Summer Library Program grant in the amount of $9,478 for summer reading activities this year.
Funding from the Summer Library Program grant pays for the summer reading presenters and funds our programming to the Y, Lincoln University Extension, and Early Head Start.
More details about programming will be announced as plans are finalized.
Funding for the Summer Library Program grants 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.
The library will be closed on Monday, January 20, 2020, in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The Library will be closed from noon-1:30 p.m. on Friday, December 20, 2019, for a staff Christmas party.
The library will also be closed on the following dates:
Tuesday, December 24
Wednesday, December 25
Tuesday, December 31
Wednesday, January 1.