COVID-19 Updates

5/19/2021

Beginning June 1, Oak Ridge Public Library will resume normal operating hours:

Monday-Thursday 10-8
Friday-Saturday 9-6

Children’s Room Hours will be:
10-6 Mon-Sat

Masks are strongly recommended in the library. All library users are asked to practice social distancing and to sanitize their hands upon entering.
Curbside service will not be available after May 28. If you need assistance, please call 425-3455 and let our staff know how we can help.
Returned library items will no longer be quarantined. Library users should see returned items removed from their accounts on the same day they are returned.
The Children’s Summer Reading Program sign ups begin May 24. Families can sign up online at orpl.org or in the Children’s Room.
All Summer Reading Program events, except those which are scheduled to be online, will happen outside at the Bissell Park Pavilion. Please see orpl.org for more details.
Adult Summer Reading Program signups begin June 1.
Auditorium rentals are not yet available. Please check our website and Facebook for updates.

3/29/2021

The library is reopen in Phase 1. Hours are Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm and closed on Sundays. Curbside will move to the Library lobby and run from 2pm-6pm Monday-Saturday.
Face masks and a health screen are required to enter the building. Computers will be available for up to 1 hour.

1/26/2021

Curbside service is now being offered on Sundays!

Starting on January 31st, Curbside Pick-Up will be available to all patrons from 1pm-6pm daily. Place a hold on items through the library's catalog and wait to be notified via email, text, or a phone call that your items are ready.

The book drop is now open on Sundays.

11/25/2020

The Oak Ridge Public Library will be closed to the public after the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Due to the dramatic increase in local COVID cases, Oak Ridge Public Library will close to the public and return to curbside pickup only after the Thanksgiving Holiday. Beginning Monday, November 30, library users are invited to place holds on books, movies, music, and audiobooks through the library’s catalog. Patrons will be notified when their items are ready to be picked up. Look for the reserved parking spaces in the library’s parking lot, call the number on the sign, and our library staff will bring your items to your car.

Curbside hours are Monday-Saturday from 1 to 6 pm. If you would like help finding items to read, watch, or listen to, please call 425-3455 for assistance placing holds.

Wireless hot spots are available to the public through the library’s curbside service. You can place hot spots on hold through the library’s catalog or call the front desk for assistance.

For patrons needing to print, our mobile printing service is available through our website, www.orpl.org.

Patrons can print from their phone or other device, and pick up their prints through curbside. Prints will be held for 7 days, and cost $0.10 per page.

We are also excited to announce a new Reference chat and text feature. For patrons needing reference help, our reference team is available via chat, text, and email. Simply go to orpl.org and click on Ask a Librarian. Chat with or text Reference staff from your phone, device, or computer. Our convenient chat is accessible from the library website or by texting 865-324-0400. A friendly Reference staff member will respond to your question when chat is available. When staff is busy or unavailable, you can always email Reference@oakridgetn.gov and we will get back with you as soon as possible. As always, if texting, chatting, or emailing is not an option, please call 865-425-3455.

Unfortunately, while the building is closed the library will not be able to accept donations. Please hold onto any gently used books until the library is once again fully open to the public.

10/19/2020

The Oak Ridge Public Library will have new hours beginning Nov. 2.

The Main Library will be open Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The Main Library will also be open from 9 a.m.-10 a.m. Thursday mornings for patrons at high-risk of COVID complications only.
The Children’s Room will be open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Curbside service will be available from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Patrons should visit the ORPL book drop to collect holds during these hours. For more information on our changing curbside delivery service, please click here.
To visit the newly expanded Oak Ridge Room, please call the library to make an appointment with our local history specialist at (865) 425-3455.
Both fines and payment for prints will resume on Nov. 15, 2020.
In preparation for the Halloween Treat Hollow and our grand reopening, the library will be closed from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1.
For the health and safety of our staff and patrons, the library will continue to quarantine returned materials and will remain closed to the public on Wednesdays and Sundays for cleaning and general library maintenance.
Masks are required by every library visitor over the age of 5, and social distancing is encouraged in accordance with Centers for Disease Control guidelines. All visitors to the library are encouraged to limit their visit to one hour.

10/1/2020

The Library lobby is now open Monday through Saturday from 1-6. Patrons can use a computer or the copier, or checkout a newspaper or paperback book to read in our new outdoor reading area. Occupancy will be limited to 5 members of the public at a time, and computer session are limited to 20 minutes. Masks are required to enter the library.

9/10/2020

The Library lobby will be open on a limited basis beginning September 10. Lobby hours for the month of September are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 1-6. Patrons can use a computer or the copier, or checkout a newspaper or paperback book to read in our new outdoor reading area. Occupancy will be limited to 5 members of the public at a time, and computer session are limited to 20 minutes. Masks are required to enter the library.

Curbside delivery is now available on Saturdays! Beginning September 12, we will offer curbside delivery on Saturday afternoons from 1-6, as well as our regular Monday-Friday, 1-6 schedule.

6/30/2020

The library is getting a new roof! Due to the construction on the roof and the 4th of July holiday, the library will suspend curbside delivery and close the book drop beginning July 3.
The book drop will re-open and curbside delivery will resume once construction on the roof has progressed sufficiently to ensure the safety of our visitors and staff. Please keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for updates.
All due dates will be extended until the library is open again. There will be no overdue charges until the library reopens in full. If you have long overdue materials, we are offering a no-fines amnesty for the length of our closure.
Although curbside delivery will be temporarily suspended, patrons will still be able to place materials on hold for pick up once curbside delivery resumes. To place a hold on an item, patrons will need a current library card in good standing and a PIN. Items can be placed on hold online through our catalog or by calling (865) 425-345534.
Because items are being quarantined upon return, you may experience delays in receiving your library materials. We cannot guarantee that all items placed on hold will be available at the same time. Thank you for your patience as we work through this new process.
Although the library building is closed, our online resources are still available 24/7. Audiobooks, e-books, and streaming video are available through our Overdrive site. Lynda.com, Consumer Reports, Newsbank, and other research sites are available on the library’s website. We will continue to issue digital access cards for those without a library card.

5/18/2020

Curbside service is now offered! Learn more about this service here.

5/4/2020

The outdoor book drop is open for materials to be returned. No overdue charges will be applied until further notice.

3/20/2020

In an effort to stop the spread of COVID19 to protect the health of our community and our library employees, the library will close to the public at 6 PM, Saturday March 21. Please check the library’s website and Facebook page for updates as we adjust to this evolving situation.

All due dates have been extended for nine weeks. Additionally, library card privileges will not expire during this time so that all patrons can more easily access our online resources. Saturday, March 21, will be the last day library patrons will be able to pick up materials they have put on hold.

Oak Ridge Public Library works every day to meet the needs of our community, and closing our doors to the public goes against our mission to provide resources and support. However, as a source of reliable information, we feel the best thing we can do to support our community at this time is to take the advice of our public health officials seriously and contribute to all efforts of social distancing.

Our library staff is currently looking for ways we can continue to provide access to information and resources without endangering anyone’s health. Please check the library’s website and Facebook page for updates as we create these services. As always, our online collection of e-books, audiobooks, streaming video, and learning resources will remain available through our website and our online catalog.

3/18/2020

Continuing Information on COVID-19 at Oak Ridge Public Library

• The library is currently open regular hours, until further notice.
• All due dates have been extended for 9 weeks and all overdue fines are currently being waived in order to encourage patrons to keep their materials.
• The Children’s Room is closed, but children’s materials are available for check out. Patrons can ask at the front desk or place items on hold through our online catalog: Orpl.org>catalog
• All programs and events have been cancelled except for Census 2020 training and recruitment.
• Our Habitat Dogs will not be visiting the library right now. We are looking forward to their return when the current threat has passed.
• We have temporarily removed our soft furniture and replaced it with furniture more easily sanitized.
• Interlibrary loan services will be suspended as of March 19 and until further notice.
• We are limiting the amount of chairs and computers available in an effort to reduce the spread of the new coronavirus.
• Library volunteers should not report to the library until further notice.
• The library will not accept donations until further notice.

However, for those people currently looking for jobs or needing to apply for assistance, please know that your library is here to help. Our Wi-Fi is still up and our computers are still available.

3/15/2020

Oak Ridge Public Library cares about the health and safety of our patrons. We want everyone to stay healthy and well-informed. The library has regretfully decided to cancel our upcoming programming, including Story Times, Teen Room, World Wise Wednesdays, and Water Wise Wednesday beginning March 16 and until further notice. Additionally, we have made the difficult decision to close the Children’s Room and limit access to other areas of the library in an effort to help stop the spread of both the new coronavirus and the flu. However, the main library will remain open until further notice. The library staff has increased our sanitization efforts, cleaning all common surfaces multiple times throughout the day and limiting access to some in order to stop cross contamination.

During this period of containment, all due dates will be extended and overdue fines will be forgiven. Although the Children’s Room will be closed, materials will still be available to check out. Patrons can either ask at the circulation desk or place items on hold from home using our online catalog. Patrons will be notified when their holds are available. Additionally, the library’s collection of ebooks and audiobooks remain available, as do our online learning resources such as Lynda.com, Consumer Reports, and the Tennessee Electronic Library. All electronic library resources can be accessed by going to orpl.org>catalog.

In the meantime, the library encourages everyone to use best practices both in personal hygiene and in the information you choose to use. Remember, evaluate your sources and don’t believe everything on the internet!