UPDATE: West Fargo Public Library partners with Little Red Reading Bus to offer curbside delivery of book bundles

The West Fargo Public Library is excited to partner with the Little Red Reading Bus of West Fargo this summer to offer curbside delivery of Book Bundles. Patrons are now able to place holds for bundles of children’s books to be delivered directly to their home with help from the Little Red Reading Bus. This new delivery program will replace the former Little Red Reading Bus partnership, meaning the bus will no longer be making stops or serving as a pickup location.

At this time, only Book Bundles are available for curbside delivery. Book Bundles are bundles of children’s books grouped by theme. To reserve a Book Bundle, patrons must use the Book Bundle request form found at westfargolibrary.org. Within the form, patrons are able to choose the Little Red Reading Bus as their delivery option and provide a delivery address. Delivery addresses must be within the City of West Fargo or the West Fargo Public School District boundary. 

The procedures for curbside delivery are. 

1. Patrons can place holds for Book Bundles via the Book Bundle Request Form.  

2. After submitting a hold request, patrons will receive notification that their materials are ready to be delivered. Holds will be available on the Little Red Reading Bus the Wednesday following receipt of the notification. You may place your order as late as noon on the Wednesday you are hoping to have your books delivered. Orders received after noon on Wednesday will be delivered the following week. Your books will be delivered to your home between 5 and 8 p.m. that Wednesday. 

3. This modified pickup process will still include no physical contact between staff and patrons. Patrons are asked to wait to grab their items after the staff person has returned inside the bus.

Patrons are still able to pick up held items including books, audiobooks, DVDs, music CDs and materials for Summer Reading Program activities at the library, using our curbside pickup service.

For more information about West Fargo Public Library curbside pickup, including the addition of the Little Red Reading Bus curbside delivery service, visit https://westfargolibrary.org/1066/curbside-pickup

Original release: 

The West Fargo Public Library is excited to partner with the Little Red Reading Bus of West Fargo this summer to offer three more locations for curbside material pickup. Patrons are able to place holds for pickup at the West Fargo Public Library or from the Little Red Reading Bus. The Little Red Reading Bus will be at the following three locations on Wednesdays during the summer months. The first pickup date is Wednesday, June 10, 2020.

•5 – 5:45 p.m. Eagle Run Plaza (3306 Sheyenne Street)

•6 – 6:45 p.m. Cash Wise Foods (755 33rd Ave E.)

•7 – 7:45 p.m. Scheels (1551 45th St S, Fargo)

“The West Fargo Public Library service area is significantly larger than just our northside neighborhood,” Library Director Carissa Hansen said. “This partnership with the Little Red Reading Bus is an opportunity for us to provide great service to our patrons all over West Fargo by bringing the library to them.”

Little Red Reading Bus Project Coordinator Stephanie Shae agreed.

“In the midst of the challenges we are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are grateful for our strong partnership with the West Fargo Public Library,” Shea said. “This partnership makes it possible for us to continue our work to help kids read every day all summer long.”

Patrons will be able to pick up held items including books, audiobooks, DVDs, music CDs and materials for Summer Reading Program activities at the library and at all three Little Red Reading Bus locations.

Patrons are also available to place holds for Book Bundles, which are bundles of children’s books put together by theme. To reserve a bundle, patrons must use the book bundle request form found at westfargolibrary.org.

“We are excited to offer Book Bundles as well,” Access Services Manager Sara Engler said. “One unfortunate thing about our closure is that patrons can’t browse our collection to find books for their kids. With Book Bundles, our staff does the browsing for you. You just choose the theme.”

The modified curbside pickup procedure is below.

1. Patrons can place holds via My Library Account, over the phone at 701-551-8940 or by emailing askus@westfargond.gov.

2. After submitting a hold request, patrons will receive notification that their materials are ready for pickup.

a. For West Fargo Public Library pickup - If they are picking up at the West Fargo Public Library, they must then call 701-551-8940 to select an appointment time to pick up their items. Curbside pickup at the library is available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

b. For Little Red Reading Bus pickup - Pickup via the Little Red Reading Bus is only available Wednesday evenings. Once a patron is notified that their order is ready, they can pick up their books the next Wednesday at any of the Little Red Reading Bus locations.

3. This modified pickup process will still include no physical contact between staff and patrons. After confirming the last 6 digits of the patron’s library card, a staff person will place the items on a table outside the entrance of the West Fargo

Public Library or outside the Little Red Reading Bus. Patrons will then grab their items after the staff person has returned inside the building or bus.

Beginning June 10, 2020, all West Fargo Public Library book drops will be available to return materials. Library book drops can be found at the West Fargo Public Library, Eagle Run Plaza and Cash Wise Foods. All due dates for materials checked out prior to the library closure were extended until June 10, 2020. The library has since resumed the usual three-week loan period policy.

The library building still remains closed that this time, with the following services remaining unavailable:

• Paying fines

• Copying and printing, faxing, scanning, etc.

• Notary services

For more information about West Fargo Public Library curbside pickup, including the addition of the Little Red Reading Bus stops, visit https://westfargolibrary.org/1066/curbside-pickup.