Credit: Photo via OCLS/Instagram

Following a government directive to shut  down non-essential services, the Orange County Library System has temporarily stopped home delivery service.

Considering an ongoing shelter-in-place order in Orange and Seminole counties is keeping kids home from school, and a statewide order prohibits visits to retirement homes, the suspension hits parents and the elderly particularly hard.

The OCLS administration announced the home delivery suspension on Thursday afternoon, following Orange County’s order to halt all non-essential work in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and to protect employees. The closures will remain in place until further notice.

Customers who already ordered items from the library can check the status of their request by logging into their account on ocls.info. If the item is checked out to the cardholder, then it’s on route. Some materials won’t be sent until home delivery service resumes.

Online classes will continue, as will ebooks and streaming TV and movies.

OCLS had previously closed all sixteen location to the public on March 18, but kept the mail delivery service open, which includes books, music and DVDs. Customers can continue ordering materials, but it will be a while until they are processed.

Materials can still be returned at all library book return locations, but library fines will be suspended during the closure.

OCLS still has lots to offer library cardholders online, like ebooks and audiobooks, live online classes, streaming TV and movies, music downloads, databases and digital magazines.

Online classes will continue. The OCLS website has the latest offerings, and let’s face it, you probably have some extra time on your hands.

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The library will suspend home delivery service after Thursday afternoon. As a result, some requested materials may not get processed for delivery. We apologize for the inconvenience. While the library regrets having to make this difficult decision, we must do our part in following @ocfl's directive to halt all non-essential services and to protect the health and well-being of our staff. ⁣ ⁣ Additionally, we are asking that all customers please do not leave donations in library book drops or outside of the Orlando Public Library. When we are able to resume taking donations, we will announce it here on social media and on our website. In the interim, we recommend holding on to what you have as most of our nonprofit partners are also closed or at capacity at this time. ⁣ ⁣ Customers will continue to have access to a vast collection of online resources and content, including e-book and audiobook platforms and streaming services. And we will continue to publish valuable content here on social media to keep you entertained and educated while at home. You can read our recent blog post (link in bio) for a list of resources.

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This article appears in COVID-19: Orlando Reacts!.