Central Library in Harrisonburg Closed for Painting January 3-8, 2022
December 20, 2021
Central Library in Harrisonburg Closed for Painting January 3-8, 2022
Massanutten Regional Library’s Central location in downtown Harrisonburg will be closed to the public January 3-8, 2022 for painting of public spaces. The painting project, the first since the newest portion of the Central Library was opened in 2000, will be phased over several months in order to cause the least amount of disruption to patron use.
During Central’s January closure, MRL patrons are encouraged to use the regional system’s other six branches in Bridgewater, Broadway, Elkton, Grottoes, Luray, and Shenandoah for their in-person library needs. Central’s brief closure will not impact patron ability to download electronic media through MRL’s website www.mrlib.org.
When Central Library re-opens on Monday, January 10, 2022, Central’s Main Street entrance will be closed to the public as the painting project focuses on the atrium lobby entrance. Patrons will enter the library through the Newman Avenue entrance (the former entrance of what was formerly called Rockingham Public Library) which will bring them to the upper floor of the current Central library. MRL staff will be on hand to assist patrons with navigating the change until the atrium lobby phase is complete.
Signage at the Main Street entrance will direct patrons to continue north on Main Street and then turning at the first right at the Explore More Discovery Museum onto Newman Street. The Newman Street entrance is up a slight incline to the right, just before the Federal Street alley. Long-time Harrisonburg residents and library patrons may enjoy entering through this former entrance, which was opened on March 8, 1952 and was in use until the dedication of the new Central Library on Main Street in 2000.
As the painting project continues, MRL will move Central Library’s children’s Story Times to a temporary storefront location in the Valley Mall. Two “Fantastic Family Fun” Story Time sessions will take place daily at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Mondays through Thursdays from January 3-March 3, 2022 in a Valley Mall storefront located between Belk and JCPenney department stores. Children of all ages and their caregivers are invited to the free sessions and are asked to wear a mask to protect MRL’s youngest patrons who are not yet eligible for protection from Covid-19 and its variants.
As an added and helpful bonus, MRL Reference Librarians will be at the Central Library’s temporary Valley Mall storefront weekly on Thursdays from 11 a.m. – Noon from January 6 – March 3, 2022, to offer “Connect with Tech.” During these sessions, librarians will offer free assistance on digital downloads for electronic readers and audio devices and to answer any reference or research questions the community may have. Community members are encouraged to bring their own electronic devices to the sessions to receive expert help on downloading electronic materials and resources from the MRL collection.
In addition to Central Library’s Story Times at Valley Mall, free story times continue at MRL’s other six branches in January. Please note that all MRL indoor programs this winter require masking, regardless of vaccination status:
Mondays:
Page Public Library in Luray: Fantastic Family Fun 10:00 a.m. – 10: 30 a.m. (indoor)
Elkton Community Library: Fantastic Family Fun 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (indoor)
Tuesdays:
Shenandoah Community Library in Shenandoah: Fantastic Family Fun 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (indoor)
Wednesdays:
Grottoes Branch Library: Outdoor Circle Time 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (outdoor, weather permitting; in inclement weather sessions moves inside Town of Grottoes building with masking required)
Thursdays:
North River Library in Bridgewater: Outdoor Fantastic Family Fun 10:15 a.m. – 10: 45 a.m. (outdoors weather permitting; inclement weather cancellations posted on MRL social media).
Page Public Library in Luray: Tremendous Toddlers 10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (indoor)
Fridays:
Village Library in Broadway: Fantastic Family Fun 10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (indoor)
“We extend our sincere appreciation to the Valley Mall for generously offering our Central Library a great temporary Story Time meeting space during our re-painting project. Thanks to Valley Mall’s kindness, we’re able to provide a space that is cheerful, accessible, and welcoming and that also offers enough room so we can safely socially distance while we read, sing, and move with our littlest patrons,” stated Mary Golden Hughes, MRL’s Director of Advancement. “We also appreciate the continued support of all of our patrons as MRL has adapted programs to be pandemic-safe since March of 2020. Whether attending adult programs over Zoom or children’s programs held outdoor programs in great weather and indoor/distanced/masked, the enthusiastic response for community programs and enrichment through MRL programs has been incredibly affirming.”
Finally please also note MRL’s holiday closings for all seven branches in the regional system are as follows:
December 24, 25, & 27, 2021 – CLOSED
January 1, 2022 – CLOSED.
About Massanutten Regional Library:
Founded in 1928, Massanutten Regional Library is a seven branch library system that serves nearly 160,000 residents in Harrisonburg, Page County, and Rockingham County. MRL branches are located in Bridgewater, Broadway, Elkton, Grottoes, Harrisonburg, Luray and the town of Shenandoah, with administrative offices located at Central Library in downtown Harrisonburg, the system’s largest branch. Library patrons have access to over 300,000 books, DVDs, audiobooks, eBooks, online learning and research tools, and other resources free of charge. Residents can obtain a free library card by visiting their local MRL branch. As a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization MRL is funded in partnership with state and local funding and through the generosity of patron donations.
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- Central re-opens January 10th with temporary Newman Avenue entrance
- Central Story Times temporarily move to Valley Mall January 3-March 3, 2022
- “Connect with Tech” offered weekly at mall January 6-March 3, 2022
Massanutten Regional Library’s Central location in downtown Harrisonburg will be closed to the public January 3-8, 2022 for painting of public spaces. The painting project, the first since the newest portion of the Central Library was opened in 2000, will be phased over several months in order to cause the least amount of disruption to patron use.
During Central’s January closure, MRL patrons are encouraged to use the regional system’s other six branches in Bridgewater, Broadway, Elkton, Grottoes, Luray, and Shenandoah for their in-person library needs. Central’s brief closure will not impact patron ability to download electronic media through MRL’s website www.mrlib.org.
When Central Library re-opens on Monday, January 10, 2022, Central’s Main Street entrance will be closed to the public as the painting project focuses on the atrium lobby entrance. Patrons will enter the library through the Newman Avenue entrance (the former entrance of what was formerly called Rockingham Public Library) which will bring them to the upper floor of the current Central library. MRL staff will be on hand to assist patrons with navigating the change until the atrium lobby phase is complete.
Signage at the Main Street entrance will direct patrons to continue north on Main Street and then turning at the first right at the Explore More Discovery Museum onto Newman Street. The Newman Street entrance is up a slight incline to the right, just before the Federal Street alley. Long-time Harrisonburg residents and library patrons may enjoy entering through this former entrance, which was opened on March 8, 1952 and was in use until the dedication of the new Central Library on Main Street in 2000.
As the painting project continues, MRL will move Central Library’s children’s Story Times to a temporary storefront location in the Valley Mall. Two “Fantastic Family Fun” Story Time sessions will take place daily at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Mondays through Thursdays from January 3-March 3, 2022 in a Valley Mall storefront located between Belk and JCPenney department stores. Children of all ages and their caregivers are invited to the free sessions and are asked to wear a mask to protect MRL’s youngest patrons who are not yet eligible for protection from Covid-19 and its variants.
As an added and helpful bonus, MRL Reference Librarians will be at the Central Library’s temporary Valley Mall storefront weekly on Thursdays from 11 a.m. – Noon from January 6 – March 3, 2022, to offer “Connect with Tech.” During these sessions, librarians will offer free assistance on digital downloads for electronic readers and audio devices and to answer any reference or research questions the community may have. Community members are encouraged to bring their own electronic devices to the sessions to receive expert help on downloading electronic materials and resources from the MRL collection.
In addition to Central Library’s Story Times at Valley Mall, free story times continue at MRL’s other six branches in January. Please note that all MRL indoor programs this winter require masking, regardless of vaccination status:
Mondays:
Page Public Library in Luray: Fantastic Family Fun 10:00 a.m. – 10: 30 a.m. (indoor)
Elkton Community Library: Fantastic Family Fun 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (indoor)
Tuesdays:
Shenandoah Community Library in Shenandoah: Fantastic Family Fun 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (indoor)
Wednesdays:
Grottoes Branch Library: Outdoor Circle Time 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (outdoor, weather permitting; in inclement weather sessions moves inside Town of Grottoes building with masking required)
Thursdays:
North River Library in Bridgewater: Outdoor Fantastic Family Fun 10:15 a.m. – 10: 45 a.m. (outdoors weather permitting; inclement weather cancellations posted on MRL social media).
Page Public Library in Luray: Tremendous Toddlers 10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (indoor)
Fridays:
Village Library in Broadway: Fantastic Family Fun 10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (indoor)
“We extend our sincere appreciation to the Valley Mall for generously offering our Central Library a great temporary Story Time meeting space during our re-painting project. Thanks to Valley Mall’s kindness, we’re able to provide a space that is cheerful, accessible, and welcoming and that also offers enough room so we can safely socially distance while we read, sing, and move with our littlest patrons,” stated Mary Golden Hughes, MRL’s Director of Advancement. “We also appreciate the continued support of all of our patrons as MRL has adapted programs to be pandemic-safe since March of 2020. Whether attending adult programs over Zoom or children’s programs held outdoor programs in great weather and indoor/distanced/masked, the enthusiastic response for community programs and enrichment through MRL programs has been incredibly affirming.”
Finally please also note MRL’s holiday closings for all seven branches in the regional system are as follows:
December 24, 25, & 27, 2021 – CLOSED
January 1, 2022 – CLOSED.
About Massanutten Regional Library:
Founded in 1928, Massanutten Regional Library is a seven branch library system that serves nearly 160,000 residents in Harrisonburg, Page County, and Rockingham County. MRL branches are located in Bridgewater, Broadway, Elkton, Grottoes, Harrisonburg, Luray and the town of Shenandoah, with administrative offices located at Central Library in downtown Harrisonburg, the system’s largest branch. Library patrons have access to over 300,000 books, DVDs, audiobooks, eBooks, online learning and research tools, and other resources free of charge. Residents can obtain a free library card by visiting their local MRL branch. As a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization MRL is funded in partnership with state and local funding and through the generosity of patron donations.
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