National Library Week is a time to celebrate how strong libraries strengthen communities. And in particular how our Winters Community Library contributes to the health, strength, learning, and enjoyment of our Winters Community.

It may be awhile since we’ve been able to gather at the library on a crowded Thursday evening filled with families participating in bilingual story time, individuals and families learning English as a second language and attending conversation classes, students using the computers and books to complete homework assignments, adults using the computers for research or filling out job applications, clubs holding meetings, and those just browsing for a good read. But let’s celebrate the many ways our library staff, often with Winters Friends of the Library support, provide resources to ensure everyone has access to lifelong learning in our community!

Now Available: Library Visit by Appointment

Visita a la biblioteca con cita previa

The Library is open for browsing and computer use by appointment only. Restrooms are not available at this time.

If you don’t want to browse but have holds to pick up, please continue to use the Curbside Pickup service.

Make your appointment below or if you need assistance, call (530) 666-8005 Monday – Friday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. or Saturday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

For a full schedule of appointment hours at all libraries, visit the locations page.

You may schedule one appointment per week. Groups or families wishing to visit the library together should schedule an appointment for each person.

• Please arrive on time for your appointment and wait at the main doors.
• Computers are available on a first-come-first-serve basis.
  • Use is limited to one person per computer station; a basic level of computer knowledge is expected.
• Free printing, copying, and faxing, up to 15 pages, are available during your visit.
• Please bring your library card or memorize your number and use self-check computers where available.
  • If you don’t have a library card or have misplaced it, please call 530-666-8005 and staff can assist you.
• All returns should be put in the outside return slots.
• Cash payments will not be accepted. Payments can only be made online at this time.
• You must adhere to these social distancing requirements:
  • Face coverings are required and observe all signage and markers,
  • Staff assistance is limited and will be socially distanced.

Three More Ways to Access Books

Curbside Pickup. This service is amazing! Log onto the Yolo County website and you can search for and request any material in the system. They send you an email when it’s ready and you pick it up during curbside hours. They also have the option to just pull up and request picture book or easy reader bundles which are great options if you have children. You even get to say ‘Hi’ to the library staff when they bring out your books.

Libby and Overdrive.Libby is the app that connects to the libraries ebooks and audiobooks. You can download the app to your device, sync your library card, search for a book and borrow it. The library has added over 6,000 audiobooks this year alone, so there are plenty to choose from.

ZIP Books. This is truly an amazing program, and not very many people know about it. If there is a book you can’t find in the library catalogue, you can request it through the ZIP Books program and the library will order it and send it straight to your door (as long as it meets their criteria) Then you just bring it to the library when you are done.

So there you have three great ways to bring the library home to you.

Computer Appointments

Winters Community Library is now offering Computer Appointments. Available times are:
Tuesdays and Fridays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. 
and Thursdays 3 – 7 p.m.

Please call 530-666-8005 from
9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday – Friday and
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday to make an appointment.

Now Fine Free for ALL

And we heard some exciting news about yolo county libraries this week. ‘In January 2019, Yolo County Library eliminated overdue fines for youth, which resulted in a 28% increase in the number of items borrowed on youth library cards. Based on this success, we are seeking approval from the Board of Supervisors to eliminate overdue fines for all patrons on March 9, 2021. If approved, the policy will be enacted on April 1, 2021. We believe this action is important to reduce barriers to our services and to ensure equal access to Yolo County’s libraries for all our residents, regardless of income.’

Pretty good news for those of us that are a bit forgetful sometimes.

Free Tax Forms, Print, Fax, Copy Services are Available

Contactless printing, faxing, and photocopying are available at library branches during select times. The first 15 pages per day are free and printings and copying is available in color or black and white. Click here for service information.

Online Resources and Programs

As fast as they could, Yolo County Library staff collaborated to provide online versions of weekly in-person programs and to provide new programming and resources to meet the needs of the community. From Story times, to speakers, new digital learning resources, and craft kits to check out, the library staff worked to create new ways to serve the community while we stayed safe at home.

As more people began to read online, they saw the increased need for online resources and digital material for all age groups. They increased their online communications, the resources accessible from the Yolo County Library website, and creating collections to help reduce wait times for materials. Try using the Libby App and looking for the Lucky Day Collections or the Skip the Line books.

New this year is a collaboration between the Yolo County Library, Friends Groups, and Stories on Stage to provide a teen writing contest along with an author talk. Read more and register for the talk by Reyna Grande on April 24.

Resilient Libraries – Resilient Communities

Did you know:

Libraries play a critical role in the happiness of Americans. Communities that spend more on libraries, parks, and highways are shown to support the well-being of community members.

Patrick Flavin. State government public goods spending and citizens’ quality of life.
Social Science Research, 2018; DOI: 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2018.11.004

There are more public libraries than Starbucks in the U.S. – a total of 16,568, including branches. Nearly 100% of public libraries provide Wi-Fi and have no-fee access to computers. There are 16,568 total libraries including branches in the U.S. per 2016 PLS survey

(Public Libraries Survey, FY 2016, Table 3 of the Supplemental Tables
https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/fy2016_pls_tables.pdf)
[2018 Starbucks: 14,606 corporate and licensed locations within the USA. Source:
Starbucks Corporate Customer Relations, 12/28/2018]

A growing body of evidence suggests that students’ academic success is linked to library usage, including improved student retention and an enhanced academic experience.

Academic Library Impact on Student Learning and Success: Findings from the
Assessment in Action Team Projects
http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/issues/value/findings_y3.pdf

How Do You Use the Library?

Help us celebrate National Library Week by sharing your story about how you use the library and why you value our Winters Community Library. Please add your story of 100 words or less to the google form below or email us at reply@wfol.org.

Please share your library love and support on social media this week using the hashtags #WintersFriendsoftheLibrary #NationalLibraryWeek and #LibrariesTransform.