MOULTRIE, Ga. — Just because the library is closed doesn’t mean you can’t use the library.

The Moultrie-Colquitt County Library System shut down for the coronavirus as so many other local agencies did, but Director Holly Phillips said many of their offerings are available online.

Phillips said the website, www.mccls.org, and the library’s Facebook page are being frequently updated. Some of the resources require your library card and a personal identification number to access. 

“If you need a PIN (your PINES account password) or have problems logging in, you can email us at mccls@mccls.org or message us through Facebook. We are standing by, ready to help you!” she said.

The children’s librarian, Erin Honeycutt, is live-streaming story times and activities daily on the library’s Facebook page. Regular attendees of Baby Bees and Preschool Story Time don’t have to miss out on their routines, and newcomers can discover the joy of interactive storytelling that is fun and educational.

“Our goal is to help people stay connected with their community while they’re at home,” Honeycutt said. “We hope that seeing familiar faces and engaging in routines like story time can provide some comfort during these uncertain times.”

The library offers free wifi — and it’s accessible from outside the building. It’s on all the time, and it doesn’t require a library card or password to use, Phillips said.

Fiction and non-fiction reading material can be downloaded onto computers, tablets and smartphones:

• RB Digital has eBooks, eAudiobooks, and eMagazines for adults and children.

• eRead Kids has almost 15,000 eBooks and eAudiobooks for kids in preK to fourth grade.

• TumbleBooks has interactive books with music, games and videos to go along with them.

• GALILEO is an online database with articles, scholarly journals, and more for pre-K all the way through college and beyond.

All are available through www.mccls.org. eRead Kids is under the Teens & Kids link, while RB Digital, TumbleBooks and GALILEO have their own links near the top of the library’s home page.

“You can learn a foreign language with Mango, study for a GED or college entrance exam with Learning Express, research for a term paper, learn how to build a business with ELI, write a resume or learn new skills through Job and Career Accelerator … the list goes on and on,” Phillips said. 

The website even has tutorials that walk you through how to use each of the resources.

Meanwhile, for those who’ve checked out materials, no library fines will accrue while the library is closed. The book drop is still open if you choose to return something you’ve borrowed.

A sign on the door of the library says the closure is expected to last through March 29.

“We will remain a trusted place for people of all ages and walks of life, and serve our community however we can,” Phillips promised.