Temporary location in place January 3-March 3, 2022 during painting project
MRL is pleased to announce that Central Library in downtown Harrisonburg will offer children’s Story Times at a temporary storefront in Valley Mall from January 3 – March 3, 2022 while the largest and busiest branch in the regional library system undergoes painting.
“Fantastic Family Fun” Story Time sessions will take place daily at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Mondays through Thursdays from January 3-March 3, 2022 in a Valley Mall storefront located between Belk and JCPenney department stores. Children of all ages and their caregivers are invited to the free sessions and are asked to wear a mask to protect MRL’s youngest patrons who are not yet eligible for protection from Covid-19 and its variants.
As an added and helpful bonus, MRL Reference Librarians will be at the Central Library’s temporary Valley Mall storefront weekly on Thursdays from 11 a.m. – Noon from January 6 – March 3, 2022, to offer “Connect with Tech.” During these sessions, librarians will offer free assistance on digital downloads for electronic readers and audio devices and to answer any reference or research questions the community may have. Community members are encouraged to bring their own electronic devices to the sessions to receive expert help on downloading electronic materials and resources from the MRL collection.
In addition to Central Library’s Story Times at Valley Mall, free story times at MRL’s other six branches continue in January and are listed on our website events calendar. Please note that all MRL indoor programs this winter require masking, regardless of vaccination status.
“We extend our sincere appreciation to the Valley Mall for generously offering our Central Library a great temporary Story Time meeting space during our re-painting project. Thanks to Valley Mall’s kindness, we’re able to provide an environment that is cheerful, accessible, and welcoming and which also offers enough room so we can safely socially distance while we read, sing, and move with our littlest patrons,” stated Mary Golden Hughes, MRL’s Director of Advancement. “We also appreciate the continued support of all of our patrons as MRL has adapted programs to be pandemic-safe since March of 2020. Whether attending adult programs over Zoom or children’s programs held outdoor in great weather or indoor with social distancing and masks, the enthusiastic response for community programs and enrichment through MRL programs has been incredibly affirming to our nonprofit mission. In challenging times like these, it’s wonderful to witness our creative and flexible staff create meaningful educational opportunities which are free, pandemic-safe, and accessible to all.”
