Dial a Story for bilingual story times
The Pioneer Library System continues to look for new ways to reach out to readers, particularly as the coronavirus pandemic has limited some library services and activities.
The library is introducing a new bilingual service for families – PLS Dial a Story – serving children through stories delivered over the phone in both English and Spanish.
To use the service, customers will call 405-701-2665 (405-701-BOOK) and listen to a pre-recorded story. Each story will be read in both English and Spanish and will primarily come from a collection of picture books. Roxanne Pico, Children’s Library Assistant at Norman Public Library Central, will present the stories, which will change each week on Fridays with the initial run of the service to last through Aug. 31.
The first titles for the series are: “Dog Breath: The Horrible Trouble with Hally Tosis” by Dav Pilkey; “Skulls” by Blair Thornburg; “I'm a Shark” by Bob Shea; “A Cat and a Dog” by Claire Masurel; “Stormy Night” By Salina Yoon; and “Leonardo the Terrible Monster” by Mo Willems.
The goal of the service is to allow families with limited Internet connectivity to engage with literacy in a unique way. It also can help children who are spending extensive time in front of a screen to get a break from that while still giving them a way to connect with a new story or book.
Participation in PLS Dial a Story will count toward minutes earned for the library’s Summer Learning Challenge, where readers have a goal of spending six million minutes learning and engaging with the library and their community. Find out more about ways to participate in the Summer Learning Challenge here.
Similar services to PLS Dial a Story have found success at library systems around the country, including the Tulsa City-County Library System and the Kansas City Public Library.
The 12 libraries of the Pioneer Library System have reopened with limited services available. Also, interaction with the library continues through its many virtual resources available here.
Please continue to monitor our website and social media pages for further information on possible changes to schedule and services, as well as digital programming and activities.
Libraries reopen with limited services
The Pioneer Library System has reopened physical locations with multiple guidelines in place for the safety of customers and staff as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
Many services are still available, but customers who visit should note several changes:
Hours of operation have been altered by branch location. Visitors can see exact hours and schedule on their branch’s webpage. On days with longer hours of service, branches will close for an hour midday for a cleaning of the library and a staff change.
Customers are able to reserve a time slot for public computer use in advance of physically coming to the library by calling 405-792-0777. After calling, you will be prompted to follow the steps in the automated phone system to select your library and place the reservation. Please have your library card number and PIN number available when you call. Two 30-minute computer sessions may be accessed daily.
The library can be used for copying, faxing and scanning. Staff will advise and pull items for customers hoping to browse materials.
Pickup of materials also is available and may be done through a curbside service. Parking spaces will be designated for curbside pickup, and customers should follow the instructions on the sign at their parking space after they arrive.
Physical library programs are cancelled through at least August 31. Meeting room reservations are canceled until further notice. Plans are in progress for some of the performances, originally planned for this year's Summer Learning Challenge, to be presented online, likely through the Pioneer Library System's Facebook page.
The library's digital and virtual resources, which have seen an increase in use during the closing, continue to be an option for those more comfortable staying home. Thousands of choices are offered through the OverDrive, Hoopla and Kanopy services available here. Digital items are also available on mobile devices through the PLS Connect app which can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
This is an unprecedented time and we are grateful for your continued support and patience. Please continue to monitor our website and social media pages for further information and digital programming and activities.
Coronavirus Information
As state and municipal governments increasingly move toward ordering people to shelter in place to blunt the spread of COVID-19, Pioneer Library System service has been altered. Limited in-building services have resumed.
Following recommendations from city leaders on social distancing and safe practices, only limited, essential library services will be offered. Included are essential computer access (limited to two 30-minute sessions daily), curbside pickup of materials, copying, faxing and scanning. Staff will advise and pull items for customers hoping to browse materials.
These limited services will resume in an environment that caps the number of people in the building based on limited capacity. Use of facial coverings will be encouraged. Hours of operation still are being determined and will be subject to adjustment.
The first open hour of each day will be set aside for more vulnerable members of the community to use the library.
Extensive and regular cleaning of public and staff spaces in each library will be a priority. Movie Boxes and 24 Hour Libraries will be available for use and returns beginning May 4. Customers who had library materials during the closure may begin returning them to exterior book drops on May 11. Items are not due until June 1. Fines will not accrue on these materials nor on any library items checked out until that time.
Physical library programs are cancelled through at least August 31. Meeting room reservations are canceled until further notice. Plans are in progress for some of the performances, originally planned for this year's Summer Learning Challenge, to be presented online, likely through the Pioneer Library System's Facebook page.
Ask Us will continue to be available to answer library questions.
This is an unprecedented time and we are grateful for your continued support and patience. Please continue to monitor our website and social media pages for further information and digital programming and activities.
Information about COVID-19 is rapidly changing. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For up-to-date information about Oklahoma, visit the Oklahoma State Department of Health's Coronavirus Response page.
General Information
The Oklahoma State Department of Health has teamed up with Oklahoma Magazine to produce a video answering Frequently Asked Questions.
What is coronavirus?
What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
How does coronavirus spread?
How is coronavirus prevented and treated?
Information for International Travel
Information for Spanish and Vietnamese Speakers (courtesy of Seattle & King County Public Health)
Nuevo coronavirus PDF (Lengua Española)
Vi-rút Corona Mới PDF (Ngôn ngữ tiếng Việt)
Preventative Measures and Information for Patients
CDC Guidance for Preventing the Spread of Coronavirus
Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives
Hand-washing PDF
Sanitizer Hand Rub Application Technique PDF
Information for Patients with Coronavirus
Additional Resources
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
PubMed
Disaster Lit
Medline Plus
Wiley Online Library
Coronavirus and Pregnant Women and Children
5 Ways to Help Teens Manage Anxiety about the Coronavirus
Local Chambers of Commerce provide support, information
As conditions change on nearly a daily basis during the coronavirus pandemic, local Chamber of Commerce organizations have been a vital resource for information throughout Pioneer's service area.
Special focus is provided for small business owners and Chamber members but also city residents in general in each community served by a local Chamber.
Each of the following local Chambers of Commerce in our service area may be accessed through their Facebook pages below:
Heart of Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce
Business owners or those interested in starting their own business also can help from the Pioneer Library System. The library also offers multiple databases and resources for business owners to access.
Experience the world from home
And keep an eye out in this space for more ideas as they become available and as we hear about them.
For Children
Educational Opportunities
Clavis Publishing (Printable activity sheets)
Free Educational Subscriptions
Maker Maven (STEAM activities)
Mundo Primaria (en Espanol)
Scholastic (Home learning)
Simon and Schuster (Tween book recommendations and activities)
Speech Buddies (online speech therapy resources)
Tumblebooks
K-6 children's ebook database
K-6 math ebook database
Grades 7-12 ebook database
All ages audiobook database
Make sure you're counted in 2020 Census
Citizens received an important item in their physical mailboxes in mid-March - their invitation to respond to the 2020 U.S. Census.
And it's not just an opportunity to help your local community by being counted, it's also the law for all people living in the United States to be counted.
The easiest way to respond, especially in a safe way to avoid the spread of coronavirus? Go online to the Census homepage and follow several steps to respond. The online format takes about 10 minutes to complete.
Some notable details:
ID number: Each letter mailed to an address will have a 12-digit Census ID number to be used in the online format.
Census Day: People are counted based on their residence on April 1.
Multilingual effort: The Census can be completed online in 13 languages, and webpages and guides are offered in 59 non-English languages.
The Youngest Count: Funding for many projects related to give families with young children a strong start are funded based on Census data.
Yet about 2.2 million children age 5 and under were missed during the 2010 Census. That number adds up to nearly 10 percent of the age group. This has been blamed on many families simply not realizing babies should be counted.
College Students: Coronavirus has affected college classes and disrupted living arrangements for many students. The Census Bureau's statement for college students' residence is as follows: "Per the Census Bureau's residence criteria, in most cases students living away from home at school should be counted at school, even if they are temporarily elsewhere due to the Covid-19 pandemic."
Physical counters: Those that do not complete the form online still will need to be counted. Physical Census counters will canvas the country to complete forms for each U.S. address, although their timeframe has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Census takers are scheduled to begin interviewing homes from Aug. 11 through Oct. 31, according to the Census website. Any homes that haven't responded online or by mail can expect a visit from a census taker.
Avoiding scams: the Census Bureau will only make contact by mail or in person - never by email. For questions about an in-person Census interviewer, check to make sure that they have a valid ID badge, with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date. If you still have questions about their identity, you can call 800-923-8282 to speak with a local Census Bureau representative.
Deadline date (for now): The current deadline date for having all people counted has been extended, with the Census Bureau now scheduled to deliver apportionment counts fo the President and Congress as required by law in December 2020.
Census results are used for many reasons. They help determine allocation of billions of dollars in federal funding for schools, roads and other public services based on needs in areas based on population.
The results also help to draw legislative district lines and determine a state's seat numbers in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Find out more online or call 1-844-330-2020.