Hello, library patrons and families,

As the challenges presented by COVID-19 continue to change rapidly, the library and the Ciy of Red Wing’s top priority remains the health, safety, and well-being of our patrons, our staff, and our community.  As such, in order to prevent and mitigate the spread of this virus, the Red Wing Public Library is currently closed to patrons until, at minimum, Monday, March 30.

Though the library building is closed, access to our Wifi network will remain active 24 hours a day.  The network signal extends as far as John Rich Park, and everyone is welcome to access it as they need.  The network name is Red Wing Public Library and the password is rwplwifi.

All due dates will be postponed until we open again and patrons will not be charged any late fines during the time we are closed.

Because the order for us to close came so suddenly, many of you did not have time to pick up items you had requested or stock up on books, movies, and other materials to prepare for school closures and the current recommended social distancing.  In the interest of providing the best service we are able while still minimizing the risk to our patrons and staff, we are offering the ability for patrons to request materials that are owned by and in stock at the Red Wing Public Library at the time of request, as well as pick up any existing holds that are currently waiting for you.

If you or a family member can pick your hold items up at the library by 5:00 PM on Wednesday March 18, we will have a curbside delivery service running.  How does this work? You walk or pull up to the library, call us at (651) 385-3642 to let us know you are outside, give us your full name and/or the name of the family members you are picking up holds for, and we will bring your bag of items out to you, all checked out and ready to go.  Just like any items you currently have checked out, there is no need to return them until we re-open – there will be no late fees.

Should you wish to return any materials during our closure, our book drop, located directly outside the East Avenue entrance, will remain open 24 hours a day.

For those of you looking for things to read, listen to and watch while we are closed – don’t worry! You can still get eBooks and eAudiobooks from us, as well as streaming video, all available from our website at https://redwing.lib.mn.us. And if you are a really heavy reader, you can still request and check out (before Wednesday at 5:00 PM) one of our Kindles, each of which contains dozens or even hundreds of books.  If you need assistance with downloading eBooks to a Kindle, or have other questions for us, we will be answering your phone calls as best we are able between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, for the duration of our closure.  You may also send an email to rwpl@selco.info if you need assistance or have questions.

Please note that during our closure, we are NOT accepting any book donations.

Thank you all for your patience and understanding as we navigate this health crisis together.  We are grateful to be a part of such a supportive community, and appreciate each and every one of our library patrons.

Stay healthy, everyone!

Sincerely,

The Red Wing Public Library Staff