It does seem like Jack Frost, Mother Nature and Old Man Winter have joined forces lately to give us a good dose of winter weather! Library policy for years has been that the library would be closed when Pea Ridge schools were closed due to inclement weather. Unfortunately, we were unable to open Monday and Tuesday but were back on schedule on Wednesday. Thank you City of Pea Ridge Street Department employees who cleared our parking lot. We are very grateful to you guys! Also, thanks to one of our patrons for showing up with a snow shovel and helping Lee clear the snow and ice off the sidewalk.
If you have library items due on a day the library is closed due to inclement weather, no late fee will be charged and we will renew those items. However, if they were late and you owed fines before our closing, you still owe those fines. Unfortunately, we have several patrons with books/DVDs that are seriously past due and fines that keep accruing. If you are one of these patrons, you need to return those items and speak with us about payment arrangements. If those items are lost you are responsible for the replacement cost plus a $5 service charge and any fines. Late fees are 20 cents per day per book and $1 per day per DVD. Our library personnel are spending far too much time trying to get books returned and fines paid. We hope to be able to meet with the new police chief and discuss these issues. Anyone owing a fine or book/DVD replacement costs will not be allowed to check out books/DVDs or use the computers.
Our Story Hour numbers fluctuate with the weather but whether we have one or a dozen, our volunteers read and help the children with a really neat craft. The children have a good time as does the librarian! In addition to the Wednesday Story/Craft Hour, we will have one at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 7. Bring the kids and join the fun.
Book/magazine/DVD donations are still being dropped off. We appreciate each donation as do our library patrons. Saturday two boxes of very nice children's books were donated with more to come soon.
Because of all the donations we are receiving we have lots of books for sale -- most paperbacks are 50 cents and hardcover books are $1 and up. Lots of these books are newer releases, have been read one time and are in excellent condition. There are also many books in the free section. Now is the time to pick up a few to have on hand for "snow days" or for taking with you to the lake, etc., this summer.
Many people are stopping in to use the computers to work on their taxes. Please remember we can not answer tax-related questions. We can help you get on line but that is the extent to which we are able to help. Tax-related questions need to be directed to the IRS or the State of Arkansas. We do not have any Federal or State Income Tax Booklets or forms. We have not been successful in our attempt to obtain them.
I want to express my gratitude to our library volunteers and our Library Board members who work so hard for your library. It would be very difficult to keep this library functioning as well as it does without them. Some have scheduled times to volunteer; others just show up and ask what they can do. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
See you at the library!
•••
Editor's note: Peggy Maddox is the librarian of the Pea Ridge Community Library. She can be reached at the library at 451-8442 or by mail at P.O. Box 9, Pea Ridge, AR 72751. Library hours are 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. The library web site is www.pearigecommunitylibrary.org and e-mail is [email protected]. The Pea Ridge Community Library has a Facebook site.
Editorial on 02/25/2015