Friday, March 16, 2020: Dear Patrons, As of today, all town offices, including the library, are closed to the public. We do not charge late fees, but due dates have been extended and all requests have been suspended until we reopen. We encourage you to check this page and follow us on social media for the latest updates. Sincerely, Patty DiTullio, Library Director Questions? Please do not hesitate to contact me at pditullio@ipswichlibrary.org or 978-356-6649.   Friday, March 13, 2020: Dear Patrons, After consultation with town administration and under guidance from public health officials, the Ipswich Library has made the difficult, but necessary, decision to close the library to the public beginning Friday, March 13, 2020 at 5pm, until further notice. Please visit our website frequently and follow us on social media for updates about reopening dates, and services available by phone/email during the closure. We understand, and deeply regret, the inconvenience this will cause our loyal patrons. Our entire community’s health and wellness are our top priority. Ipswich Public Library offers many amazing resources that are available 24/7 available through our website. We thank you for your cooperation and understanding as we face this health emergency together.   Thursday, March 12, 2020: Dear Patrons, We know the current health emergency is causing anxiety across our community. The Town and the Library are sensitive to that, and want to apprise you of the steps we are taking to address the situation. The Ipswich Public Library is working closely with the Ipswich Public Health Department and other Town Departments to monitor the latest information and guidelines provided by the by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) related to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Library’s highest priority is the health and well-being of library users, staff and volunteers. To help ensure that our library is safe and welcoming to all, we have implemented a strategy that aims to prevent and slow the spread of the virus. At present, there is no change in our hours. However, we are taking the following precautions: In response to the latest recommendations by emergency management and health professionals, we are canceling all library programs until further notice. We are also closing our public meeting rooms to outside use until further notice, and will be in touch with those scheduled to use these spaces. Out of an […]

Dear Library Patrons, The library staff misses you terribly and sends you wishes for good health and safety. We wanted to let you know that we are currently hard at work behind the scenes, working to put new services into place during this unprecedented time! Like many other organizations, libraries are scrambling to adapt in order to move forward. Under normal circumstances, we base our decisions and plans on fairly extensive needs assessment and usage data. In this strange time, our community has an ever-shifting menu of needs and we want to make sure we hear from you what they are so we can respond. As the library plans for an extended closure, what services would be most valuable to you and your family? Please take this 30-second survey to weigh in!

Welcome to our series of recommended things to do online! Bookmark this page and check back often… #1 – Discover Kanopy Kids: educational and engaging videos for children of all ages—as well as the young at heart! Their collection encourages social and emotional development, promotes respect for community diversity, and inspires creativity. Simply get a Boston Public Library ecard (it’s easy and free, just click here!) and then visit the BPL Kanopy page to login and start watching! #2 – Museums are closed but that can’t stop you from appreciating art! Did you know that you can take virtual tours, and view high-resolution images of renowned museum collections all over the world at Google Arts & Culture? You could spend hours roaming this site! #3 -The Cleveland Inner City Ballet is launching a FREE Virtual Online Ballet Instruction Program during the next 3 weeks while kids are off from school! Act now, classes start 3/18 at noon! #4 – While you are missing story time with our own amazing children’s room staff, try Storyline Online, videos of acclaimed actors reading children’s books along with animations and music! #5 – Join Discovery Education on a mission to inspire the world through aerospace innovation with an exclusive virtual field trip to historic Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas! #6 – Experience the National Aquarium from home! You can stream live feeds of Blacktip Reef, Pacific Coral Reef and Jellies Invasion exhibits every day by checking out the link below. 🖥️🐠 #7 – Michelin-starred chef Massimo Bottura and his family have started a “Kitchen Quarantine” Cooking Show, giving live cooking lessons daily. #8 – The Cincinnati Zoo is doing a daily HOME SAFARI – complete with related activities. You can see their past Home Safaris and projects here on their website. #9 – Ready to explore Yellowstone National Park? You don’t have to wait for a future trip – You can start exploring now by virtually touring some of the main attractions around the park. Learn more about geysers, paint pots and canyons at this link! #10 – The Metropolitan Opera is hosting “Nightly Met Opera Streams” on its website to audiences worldwide. The presentations will begin at 7:30 p.m. EST each night on the company’s website and will then be available for an additional 20 hours thereafter. #11 – The great children’s musician Laurie Berkner is performing live every day at 10am on her […]