According to the directive of the Office of Commonwealth Libraries of Pennsylvania, the Northern Tier Library, along with the Pine Branch and Bookmobile, will be closed until further notice.

What does this mean?
*Items cannot be checked out. Holds will be paused until we reopen.
*Bookdrops are closed. Do no leave library materials here; keep the materials until we reopen.  All overdue fines will be waived.
*The library is not accepting donations. Please do not leave donated materials here.

What does the Yellow Phase Mean for NTRL?

The library is working in order to come up with a plan for the “yellow phase.” At this time, there is no official opening date for Northern Tier or any library in Allegheny County.

It is of greatest importance to us that we have a plan to protect the health and safety of our patrons and our staff. When it comes to reopening there are a lot of details to work through including quarantining/managing the return of large volumes of materials, holds processing, and implementing curbside service. When making decisions we will continue to follow the guidelines set forth by state, county, and local officials.

Thank you for your patience, kindness and support!

Wondering what is going on with your holds and books? Here are some answers:

*Due dates will be extended to June 15 for all items originally due 3/7/2020 or later. Additional extensions will be considered as we move forward.

*Due dates will be updated even if items are ineligible for renewal (i.e, the item is on hold, or the maximum number of renewals has been reached.)

*Due date extensions will still take place even if a card is expired or the patron owes money.

*Library cards that have expired since January 1, 2020, or will expire before the end of the year have been updated with an expiration date of 12/31/2020.

*Text message notifications have been disabled, and telephone notifications are in the process of being disabled.

*The ability to place holds on physical items has been temporarily disabled. You can still request digital items, such as those on Overdrive. (This does not impact holds previously placed on physical items. Those will remain.)

*Any patrons willing to do so are asked to please cancel their holds. (These can be placed in the cart or on a wishlist to remember them.)  This will help with the strain on the system when the libraries reopen. Thank  you!

Stay In and Read
While you’re stuck at home, why not take this time to catch up on some reading! Register below to stay connected and be entered into some cool drawings.
Register
Log Your Books

Free WiFi
The WiFi at the Northern Tier Library is still on and can be accessed from the parking lot! (Please remember to stay in your car or use proper social distancing.)

Information on Covid-19
Allegheny County Department of Health
CDC – How to Protect Yourself
CDC – If You Think You’re Sick
Talking to Kids about the Coronavirus