Payson Public Library, 328 N McLane Rd. Payson, AZ

Payson Public Library, 328 N. McLane Road. Payson, AZ

Phone: (928) 474-9260 Fax: (928) 474-2679

Library Director: Emily Linkey

Assistant Librarian: David Grassé

OUR MISSION: The Library Friends of Payson, Inc. is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to provide financial and community support to the Payson Public Library. We believe that public libraries comprise an integral aspect of community identity and development, and we support endeavors that encourage literacy and free inquiry within the individual, the family, and society.

Good News! The Payson Library is Re-opening to the Public! Friday, June 5^th – 10 AM!

The Payson Public Library will be reopening its doors to the public at 10 AM on Friday, June 5^th. We at the Payson Library are eager to welcome our community back and will be celebrating the day with a Summer Reading Kickoff event. Please bring your children to register for the summer reading incentive program, Imagine Your Story, and to learn about our virtual and take home events scheduled in June. Don’t be surprised to see a few story book characters walking around the library!

In keeping with the advice of the CDC, local government, and library administrators around the country the following precautions are being taken until such time that the COVID-19 threat abates:

There will be a volunteer or staff member at the entrance counting patrons as they enter and exit. We will limit the number of patrons in the building at a time to 40 (including staff & volunteers).
We ask that patrons wash or sanitize their hands as they enter.
We will offer bandannas to anyone who does not have a face covering. Staff and volunteers will wear masks or bandannas.
At this time, because we must limit the number of patrons in the building and discourage social gatherings, we ask that patrons limit their time within the library. Please come in, select your items for checkout, take part in the summer reading program, use a computer if you need, then proceed out of the building.
We have spaced computer terminals so that there is either a physical barrier or 6 feet of space between stations. 4 computers have been moved to individual study rooms that can be sanitized between uses.
Computer use is limited to a single session (1 hour) per patron each day.
To the best of our ability we will sanitize every computer station and table after use.
Book jackets and media are cleaned as the items are returned. Books being checked in will be held for 2 days before being shelved.
Patrons will be permitted to checkout no more than 10 items (5 DVDs) at a time. Families with multiple library cards may check out no more than 10 DVDs.
Use of the library as a gathering space is currently being discouraged: seating areas are unavailable, tables and toys have been removed from the children’s room, computers and gaming stations have been removed from the teen technology room (we will create a new space for the teens when the meeting room is completed that will have adequate space for social distancing).
The Bookstore will re-open on Thursday, October 1st….for more information, see below.
We will not have any on-site programs in the library during the month of June (we will see how things are going come July)
We will continue to offer curbside pickup to those who prefer it.
Bathrooms will be available to library patrons only and sanitized once each day.
We will open at 10 AM instead of 9 AM each morning so that staff has adequate time to sanitize bathrooms, tables, public desks, and other commonly touched surfaces. So long as daily sanitation is required, beginning June 5^th, the library’s new hours will be:

Mondays 10 AM – 6 PM

Tuesdays 10 AM – 7 PM

Wednesdays 10 AM – 7 PM

Thursdays 10 AM – 6 PM

Fridays 10 AM – 3 PM

Saturdays 10 AM – 3 PM

Questions? Please call the Payson Library at 928-474-9260.

~~~~~

HISTORY: Like many of Rim Country’s finest service organizations, The Library Friends of Payson was established as a grassroots effort to support the growing Payson Public Library.

We have evolved from just providing books — we now provide funds to purchase computers and other needed supplies and equipment and support Library programs that would not otherwise be covered in the Town of Payson or the Gila County library budgets.

HOMEBOUND PROGRAM: We offer free Library services for homebound individuals.

LFOP BOOKSTORE: More Good News! The LFOP Bookstore will be opening on Thursday, October 1st! We welcome our shoppers back and have lots of new inventory.

The LFOP Bookstore will be open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 2pm.

Because of concerns due to Covid-19 the following procedures will be implemented:

Masks must be worn by everyone in the bookstore at all times

Hand sanitizing is required of all customers before handling anything in
the store

No more than three customers in the store at any time. If there are
customers waiting to enter the bookstore, it may be necessary to limit
time spent in the store

We maintain the LFOP Bookstore which is located inside the Payson Public Library. Staffing is provided entirely by volunteers. We also offer antique and vintage books for sale on Amazon and AbeBooks.

There is an ever-changing selection of books for the low, low price of 50 cents, and most books are priced for $1.00. You can also shop for a cute LFOP T-shirt in a wide variety of colors and sizes (adult sizes $15.00, kid’s sizes $12.00), and…wait, there’s more…you can even purchase a LFOP tote bag (at the bargain price of $1.50) to carry everything home in! For that “hard to shop for” person, gift certificates are available for just $3! Books, CDs, puzzles, T-shirts and tote bags make great gifts for that special “someone,” so next time you are at the Payson Library stop by the LFOP Bookstore and you are sure to find a wonderful buy!

BECOME A LFOP SPONSOR: 2020 Sponsorships Now Available!
This year, due to construction of our Library addition, we will not have our annual “A Taste of Rim Country” fundraiser. The monies raised last year contributed to our providing to the Library 1447 books, 206 DVDs, and 64 audio books. totaling about $50,000! Most recently, the Library Friends funded the ongoing expansion to the Library building that will provide much needed space for community organizations’ meetings and activities.

None of this would have been possible without YOUR continued support. So, instead of an annual fundraiser event, we are offering Sponsorships for 2020 at the same levels as last year’s “A Taste of Rim Country” event.

Platinum ($1000+) Gold ($500-$999) Silver ($250-499) Bronze ($100-$249)

Please consider becoming a 2020 Sponsor so that we can continue to support the Payson Public Library. Each Sponsor will receive the following benefits:

Prominent recognition on posters and plaques throughout the Library
Prominent recognition in press releases, the Library Friends of Payson website, and Facebook page
A 1-year complimentary membership to the Library Friends of Payson along with a subscription to our Among Friends newsletter
Sponsorship featured in the Library Friends newsletter

Sponsor packets are available at the Front Desk of the Payson Library. All donations are tax deductible as a charitable donation. A receipt will be provided.

For further information, email us at library_friends@hotmail.com, message us on this page, or call the Library at 928-472-9260.

SPEAKERS AT GENERAL MEETINGS: Due to ongoing concerns with the covid-19 virus, all general meetings have been cancelled until further notice.

General Meetings are held every third Monday of the month (no meetings in July or December). These meetings are open to the general public free of charge. Everyone is welcome to attend.

The Library Friends of Payson presentation for the community will start with a short business meeting at 10:00 a.m.; the program begins at 10:30 a.m. The public is invited to both the business meeting and the free one-hour program. Complimentary refreshments are served. Beginning in January 2020, these general meetings will be held in an alternate location during construction of the new meeting room. For more information, please call the Payson Library at 928-474-9260.

SIGN UP FOR AMAZON SMILE & LIBRARY FRIENDS OF PAYSON EARNS MONEY:

AmazonSmile is a program that donates 0.5% of your eligible purchases on Amazon to a charity of your choice….in this case, we hope you choose Library Friends of Payson.
All you need to do is start your shopping at smile.amazon.com…..then simply select Library Friends of Payson. The donation will be made at no extra cost to you.
Though 0.5% is not a large donation and it isn’t intended to replace your regular charitable activities, AmazonSmile is still a great way to take advantage of a service you’re using anyway. Once you’ve selected Library Friends of Payson, AmazonSmile remembers your selected choice every time you log in.
AmazonSmile customers can now support Library Friends of Payson in the Amazon shopping app on iOS and Android mobile phones! Simply follow these instructions to turn on AmazonSmile and start shopping.
1. Open the Amazon Shopping app on your device
2. Go into the main menu of the Amazon Shopping app and tap into ‘Settings’
3. Tap ‘AmazonSmile’ and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process

~~~~~~~~

Library Friends of Payson E-Mail Address: library_friends@hotmail.com

If you have any questions or need additional information…

please call the Payson Public Library @ 928-474-9260