Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick will offer contact-free, curbside pick-up of books, audio books, DVDs and other materials beginning Monday, June 1. Summer Curbside Pick-Up hours beginning June 1 at Curtis Memorial Library are Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m; Saturday 9:30 am to 1 p.m. Closed on Sunday.

Patrons can reserve materials online by using the Minerva catalog and their library card at curtislibrary.com, calling (207) 725.5242 or emailing refdesk@curtislibrary.com. Patrons will be notified by phone and/or email when their materials are ready for pick-up. Short-term, designated parking spaces will be reserved at and around the Middle Street Main Entrance to the library.  When the patron arrives at the library, they will call the library and a librarian will place their order under a tent. Patrons will be asked to retrieve their bag of items while maintaining social distancing.

All items will have a 3-week lending period throughout June, including the Bestseller Express collection, with a limit of 10 items reserved per card per visit.

The book drop at the Middle Street entrance remains open 24/7.  All returned items are quarantined for 96 hours before being handled by staff, cataloged and returned to the Curtis shelves.  No fines or late fees are being charged at this time.

Until the InterLibrary Loan van service returns, only books and materials in the Curtis catalog will be available for loan.

“We look forward to getting Curtis library books and materials back in the hands of our community of readers,” said Library Director Liz Doucett in a news release. “While the library building has been closed since March 13, Curtis librarians have been busy connecting with patrons by telephone and email, and offering many new and expanded digital resources and programs.”  These include:

• Expansion of the Cloud Library e-book/e-audiobook collection Curtis added over $6,000 of adult and children’s books on top of the $60,000 added by the Maine library consortium which includes Curtis

• Expansion of its Flipster collection of downloadable magazines

• Added Kanopy, a free streaming service of over 30,000 independent films and documentaries

• Reference, technology and genealogy support via telephone and email

• All book groups are now virtual including the Monday Book Group, Books & Brews, Science Fiction, and Just Desserts Mystery Book Group

• Virtual story-times and toddler sing-along music programs produced and now available online

• Online scrap-crafting classes

• Online Maine SNAP-Ed cooking classes
• Craft meet-up group is now virtual

Additional digital offerings will be coming online in the weeks ahead, including:

• Purchasing Lynda.com/LinkedIn Learning for staff and community – a leading online learning platform that helps anyone learn business, software, technology and creative skills to achieve personal and professional goals

• Purchasing creativebug.com which offers virtual “creation” classes (painting, crafting, quilting, kids’ crafts, etc.)

• Offering a virtual Summer Reading Program online for adults, children and teens

• Creating a virtual art gallery for local artists through exhibbit.com
• Planning a virtual film discussion group

“We are grateful to the community for your diligence and patience in returning books, and for the support of the Board of Directors in implementing this plan to begin borrowing services in this adapted way — putting the safety of our patrons and staff first,” said Doucett.  “We look forward to seeing you curbside at the library soon.”