All Siouxland Libraries locations and Expanded Access will be closed Thursday, July 4, in honor of Independence Day.
Published on July 02, 2024
You may have read this title and thought, “What exactly is Expanded Access?”
Expanded Access allows our customers at rural Minnehaha County branches to utilize the library on their schedule. If your branch’s limited hours are not working for you, Expanded Access lets you visit the library, check out books and utilize the computers anytime Monday-Sunday between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.* Staff will remain available during our regular hours for any assistance.
How do customers go about getting Expanded Access? You simply sign up at the library. You’ll receive an Expanded Access card in addition to your library card. You must be over 18 to sign up for Expanded Access; all youth under 18 must be accompanied and supervised by an Expanded Access adult. Utilizing the card is simple: scan the Expanded Access card on the keypad near the entrance and use your PIN to unlock the door. Once inside, you can use in-library resources including computers, printers, copiers, and play areas. Each time you exit the building, you must swipe your card on the inside badge reader.
Before I began my career at Siouxland, I regularly used the Expanded Access option at my library. My work schedule overlapped with the library hours, but with Expanded Access my family was able to visit the library between work and activities on days that worked for us. Getting new books between practices is still part of our weekly routine.
Expanded Access is now available at the Baltic, Colton, Crooks, Garretson, Hartford, and Humboldt locations. Sign up for your for Expanded Access card at one of those branches during staffed hours. Once you’re set up by library staff, you can start accessing those libraries at times convenient for you.
*Expanded Access is not available on holidays or on days when Siouxland Libraries is closed due to inclement weather.