Fayette families, join us on Wednesday, March 31, at 11 a.m. on the library’s Facebook page for “Bonnie’s Books!”

Then, on Thursday, April 1 at 10:30 a.m., tune into Facebook Live for “Hello Friends!” All of our storytime programs are for children ages 5 and under, and feature books, rhymes, crafts, games, and other fun.

On Thursday, April 8 at 11 a.m., children and their families are invited to visit the library garden! Weather permitting, families and children will gather outside in the garden for stories, songs, crafts and more. We ask that you bring your own blanket or seats, and maintain social distancing. We can’t wait to see you!

Library staff and patrons are delighted that the building is now open to the public once again! Patrons may browse, use public computers, Genealogy resources, and utilize our office services for faxing, scanning, printing and copying.

A limited building capacity will be observed, and masks are required to enter. Hours are 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., Monday – Friday, and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Curbside pick-up for library materials will be available for those who require the service.

Coming up, April 4-10 is National Library Week and Ohio Library Week! During this week, we join libraries in schools, campuses and communities nationwide in highlighting and promoting the changing role of libraries, librarians and library workers.

Libraries today are more than warehouses for books; Libraries and librarians are change agents within their communities – transforming lives by providing educational resources and forward-thinking programming.

Libraries are doing their part to close the digital divide and level the playing field by providing free access to information and technologies like free public use computers and Wi-Fi. The Carnegie Public Library serves Fayette County by providing storytimes, engaging programs, point of need service for internet and e-book readers, Genealogy and local history resources, and more. Stop in and explore unlimited possibilities at your library!

It is tax time! State and federal tax forms will soon be available, in limited quantity, at the library. For many years, the library has participated in Tax Form Distribution Programs. In the past, the library received many copies of tax forms, schedules and instructions. In recent years, the Federal and State governments, in an effort to reduce waste and encourage electronic filing, have reduced the amount of tax products mailed to individuals and tax form outlets such as the library.

Both federal and state governments report that more than 90% of tax returns are now filed online! We still receive forms, just not as many as we once did. Once they have arrived, library patrons and community members can stop by to pick up forms.

Community members are invited to use the library’s public computers to file their federal and state taxes, or library office services to print copies of forms, W-2s and more. Both the IRS and the Ohio Department of Taxation have information-rich, up-to-date websites for consumer questions related to filing, forms, deadlines, and identity theft. Visit www.irs.gov or tax.ohio.gov for forms, instructions and more.

New to library office services? Public use computers, laptops and scanners are available for use at no cost. Printing and faxing services are available for use at minimal cost. Users can also access the web to register for COVID-19 vaccinations, apply for jobs and benefits, or file federal or state income tax. Users may also create documents, and access email or ecommerce sites.

Home printer down? Need to print important documents? Use “Print from Home” services! Simply email your documents as attachments to [email protected]. Be sure to include the first and last name of the person picking up the print job and the number of copies requested. We will email you when your print job is ready for pickup.

Lacking in trained volunteers, the AARP Tax Aide program is unable to provide free tax preparation services in Fayette County this year. Community members are encouraged to use other local and area services: Second Chance Center of Hope (740-620-4133), AARP at Sabina Library (937-584-2319), AARP at Jamestown Library (937-352-4005). Carnegie Public Library is working on creating new partnerships to fulfill this need in our Fayette County community and will update as information becomes available.

Our online resources are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Information about all of our resources can be found on the Library’s website, www.cplwcho.org, or by calling the Washington Court House Library at 740-335-2540. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @cplwcho.