Sponsored by the Osceola Library System

For more information or to register, go to kissimmee.gov/readin

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Their new social worker, Matthew Jarmon, will offer individual or family assistance and referral in many important areas, including:

• Mental Health and Counseling
• Substance Abuse
• Housing Assistance and Houselessness
• Health Care
• Elder Care
• Food Assistance
• Childcare Support and Subsidies
• Grief and Loss
• Re-employment and Job Skill Training
• Government Programs
• Parenting Support
• LGBTQIA+ Support

Matthew will be available at multiple library branches throughout the week to meet with members of the community.

• Hart Memorial Library: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, 1pm-7pm
• Buenaventura Lakes Library: Thursdays, 1pm-7pm and Fridays, 9am-2pm
• Poinciana Library: Every other Saturday, 9am-2pm

To schedule an appointment with Matthew Jarmo, email social.worker@osceolalibrary.org or call 407-747-4379

The social worker will also be available for drop-ins during limited hours.

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If one of your goals has always been to learn American Sign Language, we have the perfect way to make that happen right in Osceola County…

Beginning February 7th and Hart Memorial Library in Kissimmee, you’ll be able to acquire the basics useful in communicating with deaf and hard-of-hearing people in the community.

These ASL classes are taught by actual deaf instructors with students learning to carry on an everyday conversation with deaf individuals.

There will be role-playing and games designed to teach basic signs that are used as tools. By the end of class, some of the skills you will have learned are the manual alphabet, numbers, introducing yourself, facial expressions, talking about family, and more. Registration required.

Classes will take place on Mondays at 6:30 pm February 7-28 at Hart Memorial Library, located at 211 E Dakin Ave, Kissimmee.

Registration for the ASL classes is required. Just go to OsceolaLibrary.org/events.

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On Wednesday, all library book drops will be open from 9-5 to allow citizens to return library materials.

On Friday, all county libraries will be offering curbside service to allow citizens to have a contactless pickup for their holds or other library materials that they have requested. The Hart Memorial (downtown Kissimmee) and Buenaventura Lakes library branches will open that day and be open to the public Monday through Friday from 9-6.

On Friday May 15, all other County library branches are scheduled to open.

There will be extra requirements in place to insure a safe environment for library users and staff:

• Face coverings for everyone over age 2 must be worn while in the libraries, and the libraries will not provide them.
• Each person may bring in one bag, which can be no larger than a normal backpack.
• Library collections will not be open for browsing. Citizens can find materials in the online catalog and request staff retrieve the resource for them.
• Children’s areas will remain closed.
• Seating will be limited to 25 percent of normal seating capacity, and due to the small capacity, library visitors are asked to complete their library visits to a two-hour period so others may enter.

Due dates have been pushed back on checked out items, and every item on hold will remain on hold until locations reopen. The libraries have been holding social media games and photo challenges after closing in March due to the coronavirus.

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But, just about all of the system’s resources can be accessed online through its website, Osceolalibrary.org.

You just need a library eCard to check on and check out the offerings. (Search the “How Do I?” blue button and select “Get a Library Card”. If you live, work or go to school in Osceola County, you can get one.)

From there, the library system is at your fingertips. Go to the Research tab to look up all the databases for a list of all online resources. Under eLibrary, you’ll find cloudLibrary, kanopy, RBDigital and ComicsPlus, which has access to the system’s extensive list of book titles, movies, music, TV, documentaries, and magazines. Odilo has resources in Spanish, and TumbleBooks has great stories for our younger kids. The library is offering doubled checkout times for most of these.

The Osceola Library System has an email newsletter where you can sign up for notifications. Keep up with its updates on Facebook (Osceola Library System) and Twitter (@OsceolaLibrary).

Osceola County officials urge the community to practice social distancing, and to stay home as much as possible unless working, shopping for necessary supplies, getting carry out meals from restaurants, or attending to medical needs.

The post Osceola libraries closed? No problem! Books and resources available online. Here’s how. appeared first on Positively Osceola.