Library Reopening - What to Expect | Prince William Living

By Rebecca Barnes

Our friends at Prince William Public Library System are re-opening today, Monday, June 15! As you venture out and about in Phase 1 and beyond, the health and safety of the library staff and the community are paramount to the library system.

What to Expect

Just ask! You can request physical materials by phone or through the online catalog.

Contact-Free Pick Up: Libraries, excluding Central Community Library, will begin offering Contact-Free Pick Up on June 15. *Contact-Free Pick Up is temporary and will be replaced by “traditional” checkouts at a later date.

Bull Run, Chinn Park, Haymarket Gainesville, Montclair, Potomac Pick Up Hours:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Thursday: 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Closed Sundays
Potomac Community Library will be closed for Contact-Free Pick Up on Tuesday, June 23

To pick up your hold at a full-service library, please park in the parking lot and enter the lobby to get your hold. Your hold will already be checked out to you, so no need to pull out your library card. The three-week borrow period (one-week for DVDs) begins the day you receive your email that your hold is ready to be picked up, not the day you pick up your hold. The Library System is adding a seven-day pick up period (so you should be all good!) Please wear a face mask upon entering the lobby.

Dale City, Dumfries, Independent Hill, Lake Ridge, Nokesville Pick Up Hours:

Monday and Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday: 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Closed Fridays and Sundays

To pick up your hold at a neighborhood library, please park in the parking lot and find your hold in the cart placed outside the library. Your hold will already be checked out to you, so no need to pull out your library card. The three-week borrow period (one-week for DVDs) begins the day you receive your email that your hold is ready to be picked up, not the day you pick up your hold. The Library System is adding a seven-day pick-up period.

Out of an abundance of caution for your safety and the safety of our staff, please allow for more time for your requests to be processed. PWPLS Leadership will continually monitor the situation and will make ongoing decisions regarding Contact-Free Pick Up.

Summer Reading

Where will this year’s Summer Reading program take you? A faraway magical land, where dragons fly and unicorns roam the forests? A trip across the ocean, singing with the whales, and dancing with the dolphins? Wherever you go, the Prince William Public Library System invites you to “Imagine Your Story” this summer.

The Summer Reading Program has something for all ages! To participate, register online or through the Beanstack Tracker app on your smartphone. Track your progress digitally by checking off activities on the app. All programs are virtual this year. Visit pwcgov.org/library to watch awesome programs online!

Concierge Service

So – you’re excited about Contact-Free Pick Up, and you want new books, but you have no idea what you want to read? Or – do you just need SOMETHING to read to your kids?

The Concierge Service is here to help! Call the branch where you’d like to pick up your materials and give us a general idea what you’d like – we’ll do the rest! There’s a limit of 15 items that can be requested through our Concierge Service. You’ll get an email letting you know your hold is ready to be picked up via Contact-Free Pick Up.

Here’s a few examples: