SJVLS Statement on the Porterville City Library Fire

SJVLS joins the Central Valley library community in mourning the loss of the Porterville City Library in a devastating fire on the afternoon of Tuesday, February 18th. The Porterville library is a longtime member of SJVLS and we look forward to working with them to rebuild services to the Porterville community.

As the provider of technical support services to the City Library, and pending future direction from them, SJVLS has taken steps to mitigate the impact on library users. Materials checked out at Porterville with due dates between 2/18/20 and 3/02/20 had their due dates extended. Unfilled holds with a Porterville pickup location have been suspended until 2/28/20 as well. The days since the fire have also been designated closed days in the library management system.

Library materials that were in transit to Porterville to fill holds are being temporarily held at the SJVLS shipping facility. We are working to reset requests that were filled by items destroyed in the fire.

The Library has opened a drop-off location for library materials and donations at 298 N. Main Street in Porterville. Nearby SJVLS member libraries are also available to assist Porterville's borrowers. Cards with the SJVLS logo are good at all member libraries. Materials can be returned to any SJVLS library. To place holds with alternate Tulare County pickup locations please use these catalog links:

Due to the ongoing public health concerns over COVID-19, all SJVLS library locations, including those in Porterville and throughout Tulare County, are currently closed. Online resources are still accessible.

Porterville's library users continue to have access to numerous online resources provided by the library and by SJVLS which are available from the Library's website http://www.ci.porterville.ca.us/depts/Library/resources.cfm.

Monetary donations can be directed to the City of Porterville (attention: Library) or The Friends of the Porterville Library. The Porterville City Library continues to provide updates on Facebook.

Donations for the heroic firefighters who gave their lives in the fire are being taken by the Tulare County Deputy Sheriff's Association.