Newton, NC – With community health and wellbeing at top of mind, the Catawba County Library is finding new ways to serve the community while library facilities are closed due to the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation.

The Main Library in Newton (115 West C Street) and the Sherrills Ford-Terrell Branch Library (9154 Sherrills Ford Road, Terrell) will offer Curbside Pickup Service beginning Monday, March 23, between 10 am and 4 pm, Monday through Friday. Customers may browse materials and request holds through the “Search Collection” link at www.catawbacountync.gov/library or by calling any library location for assistance. Once holds are placed, customers will receive instructions to call for pick-up appointments the following day at the Newton or Sherrills Ford-Terrell Library. Recommended safety measures are in place, including timed isolation of materials and distancing during pick-up.

In an effort to support families and adults at home, Catawba County will also be streaming story times and an array of children’s, teen, and adult programs, to be posted on social media and the library website.

Librarians are ready and available for telephone reference, research, homework, technology, and digital resource assistance from 9 am – 5 pm as well.

As always, the Catawba County Virtual Library is open 24/7 and accessible anywhere an Internet connection is available. Library customers can access a wealth of digital resources, including e-books, audiobooks, magazines and newspapers, music, and movies, from the library website at www.catawbacountync.gov/library. The library is also working to increase and enhance these online resources. For families needing Internet access, the library plans to offer Wi-Fi Hotspots for checkout through the Curbside Service, and library parking lots may have Wi-Fi availability.

People without a Catawba County Library card can set up a free temporary account through the library’s website or by phone that will allow access to all digital resources, and staff will work with residents via phone to request upgrades of temporary cards to full-service cards pending verification/processing.

To learn more about the Catawba County Library System or any of its services, visit www.catawbacountync.gov/library, call 828.465.8665, email [email protected], or visit them on Facebook.

About: The Catawba County Library is our community’s place to connect, explore, and grow. We empower lives and build our community by bringing people, information, and ideas together. The library, headquartered in Newton, serves the community with seven locations throughout the county and is a year-round, integral provider of early literacy and lifelong learning resources and programming. The library also provides a full complement of computer and digital services, classes, and support to bridge the digital divide, empower job seekers, and enhance community quality of life and economic health.