South County Regional Library welcomes customers for “Grab and Go” services beginning February 22
February 22, 2021
This is a South County Regional update you don’t want to miss. We have exciting news to share - are you ready?
South County Regional Library (located at 5801 Rea Road, Charlotte, NC 28277) re-opens today, February 22, 2021, with limited services. We are opening South County Regional in compliance with the latest Mecklenburg County public health directive. During this phase, the Library will ONLY offer limited services including: “Grab and Go” holds pickup, mobile printing, materials returns and online programs for children, teens, adults, Outreach and more.
Upon re-opening on February 22, South County services will align with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system service schedule. Hours are Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m.-8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The branch is not open on Sundays.
Please note the new traffic pattern in the parking lot. With a new automated material handling unit that will soon be available at our new materials/book drop, customers should enter the parking lot and proceed to the LEFT in front of the building and then travel counter-clockwise through the front parking lot. Please be sure to follow the arrows and signs for safety.
On February 22, customers can expect the following adjusted services (which rolled out systemwide on January 15, 2021):
- Customer holds will be available as “Grab and Go” at the front entrance of the branch. Materials can be reserved through the online catalog. Note: If you placed a hold at another Library branch and want to move your hold to South County Regional for pickup, see information at the end of this blog on how to complete this process.
- Once you place a hold and receive notification that your items are available, please contact South County Regional by phone to schedule a pickup time. Options are by the hour and only available during regular operating hours. Please call the branch directly at (704) 416-6600.
- Staff will complete the check-out of materials for customers prior to placing them at the front entrance. Note: Customers will notice a change to the traffic flow at South County Regional. For your safety and the safety of others, please exercise caution and follow the signs in the parking lot.
- Staff will wear face masks/coverings and protective equipment. Masks/coverings are also required for customers.
- All material/book drops remain closed. Materials and books should be returned to the designated receptacles located at branch locations only during open hours. Signs will direct customers to the proper bin.
- Wi-Fi access is available outside the facility 24/7.
- Mobile printing is available online and can be picked up at the front entrance of the branch the same as holds. Click here to access mobile printing.
- Free mobile hotspots are available for customers to place on hold for checkout for seven (7) days at a time.
- Fines and fees are suspended.
- Facilities, restrooms and computers will not be open to the public.
To move existing holds from another Library branch to South County Regional:
If you currently have holds you would like to move to South County, please call any Library branch for assistance. Note: Customers cannot complete this action through the Library catalog or mobile app. Only Library staff can reroute existing holds to South County. Click here for Library contact information.
To access programs and support
The South County Regional staff is ready to see all of you again. For now, all programs and events for children, teens, adults, Outreach and the Job Help Center are available in online formats. Click here to see our calendar of online programs.
The Library’s online chat is available at cmlibrary.org - click on the “Ask a Librarian” button at the bottom of the screen. Telephone reference is available during normal operating hours at (704) 416-0101.
The Library is always open online at cmlibrary.org. For more information on our reduced services plan, click here.
Note: Materials and books will be quarantined for 24 hours before they are checked in. There is no need for customers to “clean” or disinfect Library materials.
Starting on the second floor of the branch, customers will find a new Teen Loft, surrounded by ample open seating, computers, and cozy lounge areas with scenic views of the branch’s beautiful trees and lush landscaping. It’s the perfect place to find your next favorite Young Adult title or graphic novel! In addition to tempting cookbooks on display, when the branch is fully accessible to the community, customers will enjoy community seating and collaborative spaces, a public computer lab, a brand new community room, individual and group study rooms, a training lab/studio, laptop bar and bright alcoves overlooking the front of the branch.
On the first floor, customers can enjoy the new Children’s programming room, a second community room, vending café, patio and a Calming Room for anyone who needs a peaceful space such a nursing mothers, those who may experience sensory overload and more. Additionally, South County Regional features a refreshed collection that includes 40 new launchpads preloaded with educational apps for children. Customers can experience the best of the collection at South County Regional!
Other features customers can enjoy in the renovated library, include free Wi-Fi, an efficient checkout system using radio frequency identification (RFID), and enhanced audio-visual capabilities in community rooms and the training lab/studio. A new exterior book/materials drop that feeds to and an automated materials handling unit (AMH) is part of the new traffic flow in the parking lot which requires cars to travel to the left in front of the building and drive in a clockwise direction. Visitors are encouraged to pay attention to directional signs in the parking lot to ensure safety for themselves and others.
South County Regional visitors will also notice the new, interactive outdoor public art display Open Book, Open Mind by North Carolina artist and sculptor Jim Gallucci. The installment, made possible by the Arts & Science Council and the Public Art Commission in partnership with Mecklenburg County, is located at the Library’s entrance and provides a welcoming and exciting walk through a whimsical canopy of colorful books featuring diverse authors and encourages visitors to explore and learn. The title of the work was chosen by the South County community and South County Regional staff chose the featured titles.
How Does It Work?
We know it’s challenging for many of you to facilitate your own book clubs without having access to the Library’s extensive print collection. Luckily, we have options for you through our e-book and e-audiobook platforms. hoopla currently offers 10 checkouts per month, plus a collection of “bonus borrows” that won’t count against your monthly limits – and there are no waits on this special collection. OverDrive’s “always available” collections of classics, Indie authors and other featured titles also don’t count against your OverDrive checkout limits. 
One message Mecklenburg County officials want to make clear is that Mecklenburg County is under a Stay at Home Order, which was extended to May 8, 2020 by North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper on Thursday, April 23, 2020. This order mandates that residents stay home unless they are considered essential workers or need to make essential trips to the doctor or hospital, to the pharmacy for medical needs, or to secure food and beverage items at grocery stores and local restaurants. Residents are also permitted to go outside to walk their pets, get exercise and a few other activities listed on 
Mecklenburg County Deputy Health Director, Raynard Washington, also wants to clear up misconceptions regarding the populations most vulnerable for contracting COVID-19. It is important for residents to understand that everyone is at risk for contracting the virus. While there is no evidence suggesting genetic differences impact the spread of the disease, COVID-19 disproportionately affects the African American community due to greater employment in essential, customer-facing jobs, higher rates and earlier onset of underlying chronic health conditions and longstanding gaps in access to health care and other resources.
