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| COVID-19 |
The coronavirus has officially made it to Mississippi, but panic is not the answer. What is COVID-19, you ask? That's a fair question. COVID stands for COronaVIrus Disease, first identified in 2019. It spreads easily from person-to-person. You can learn more about it from the CDC. Be wary of where you get your news about the virus. Fake news is real, but you can combat it by becoming a regular fact checker.
What should I do?
The thing about COVID-19 is that it isn't necessarily about keeping yourself from getting sick, but keeping other people from getting sick and the virus from spreading. This is known as flattening the curve, and social distancing is the best way to make that happen.
Lots of science-y folks are posting this graph. But if there is one thing I have learned from being on the internet, it is this:— Anne Marie Darling (@amdar1ing) March 11, 2020
Data/graphs: Not compelling to many.
Kitties: Compelling to many.
So I present: #Catteningthecurve.#scicomm #epitwitter pic.twitter.com/Cr1xQXMppr
If you have an essential job and have to go out in public, remember to keep your hands away from your face, cover your face when you cough and/or sneeze, and wash your hands after you use the toilet, touch your face, and cough and/or sneeze.
As of this post, the Mississippi Library Commission remains open to the public. We have postponed our upcoming continuing education workshops for the month of March. Keep an eye on your public library's social media feeds as well as our own for up-to-date information.
A librarian's suggestion
This is the perfect time to catch up on your reading. Many Mississippi public libraries offer digital and audio books and magazines through services like Overdrive, hoopla, and RBdigital. Check your library's website or call them up to see what they offer. Find your library here.
You may also want to try some of those bucket list items you've been meaning to get to. Want to learn a new language? See if your library offers Mango Languages or Rosetta Stone. How about tracing your family tree? Your library may have a subscription to Ancestry or Heritage Quest.
Above all, remain calm and read on.
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March 13, 2020 Update!
Due to the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic, the Mississippi Library Commission will be closed to the public beginning March 16, 2020 until further notice. Please note that staff will still be available Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, via the following methods:
Chat
Fax: 601-432-4476
Phone: 1-800-647-7542
Text: 601-208-0868
We will be ready to answer reference and library questions, help with Talking Books, and fill interlibrary loan and regular loan requests. You will still be able to pick up books via our new curbside service
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March 16, 2020 Update!
Refer to this handy spreadsheet for Mississippi public library temporary closings due to the coronavirus: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17i8zUeLPwUXoGSW4Y3NsRmeSvNcMPHRK3XWSjQle5xs/edit
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