First off, we hope everyone is doing well out there. Since opening for Front Door Service on June 15th, Ygnacio Valley Library has been buzzing! We’ve been following safety protocols and our pickup-by-appointment service has gone well. It has been inspiring to see so many materials going out to excited customers; from June 16th to July 17th, we checked out a total of 7,760 items for pickup. Every day, staff has been processing holds, helping with eBooks and eAudiobooks over the phone, and preparing Grab Bags for pickup. You can choose up to two staff-assembled Grab Bags with a selection of five books from the following categories: children’s picture books, early elementary, upper elementary, early readers, or family audiobooks.
As of August 22, however, our Ygnacio branch has closed and is now being used as a county COVID testing site. You can still use the Front Door Service at the Concord or downtown Walnut Creek branch. If you haven’t tried it yet, Front Door Service is simple: request the items that you want via our online catalog, wait for the notification that your items have arrived, then schedule a pickup date, time and location. When you arrive, you’ll see a number to call or text, and the materials will be brought to table out front. Don’t forget to bring your library card and your mask with you. All books needing to be returned should also be taken to any Contra Costa County Library as the Ygnacio book drop will also be closed.
In addition to Front Door Service, our library system has started a staff blog. Check out our posts on bicycle culture, cooking, the California State Library’s Covid-19 Diaries, and more. Additionally, we’re regularly highlighting new staff recommendation lists to help you discover fresh and exciting reads to suit your mood. You can find our blog and recommendation lists at ccclib.org.
A huge thank-you to our amazing community for your continued support. It’s been wonderful to see and hear from each of you, whether it’s from a distance at the table out front or over the phone. Stay safe and be well.
By Ali Birnbach, Community Library Manager