All residents of Haldimand County are encouraged to stay at home to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Haldimand County Public Library, museum and recreation staff have developed a number of stay-at-home activities to keep the community engaged and entertained. In addition to compiling a directory of stay-at-home activity suggestions for all ages, staff are offering virtual story times, a LEGO Challenge for kids, ‘Guess the Artifact’ quizzes & more.

To access the stay-at-home resource directory, residents can visit HaldimandCounty.ca and click on ‘Stay At Home Activities’. New links and activity suggestions are being added continuously. Activities range from coloring sheets to kid-friendly recipes, home workout videos, free downloadable eBooks, music and more. Just this week, the library has acquired 250 new, bestseller e-books that can be downloaded through its Axis360 e-book service.

Normally, signing up for a library card requires an in-person visit, however, staff will be issuing library cards electronically so residents can access the library’s full range of online resources. Residents who would like to sign up for a library card can e-mail the library to do so.

On Facebook, residents can join the County’s Heritage Centre curator for ‘Guess the Artifact’ pop-up quizzes, featuring relics from the Haldimand County archives. Parents can also visit the Library’s Facebook page for upbeat fun and learning resources, including virtual story times & a LEGO Challenge for kids.

The Library has also launched a Community Art Gallery project and is encouraging residents to submit photos of their stay-at-home creations to be showcased. All creations – such as crafts, paintings, sculptures, mosaics, collages, needlecraft, photography, drawings, etc. – will be accepted.

Although the museum is closed to the public, anyone interested in starting a family research project or learning about their roots is encouraged to contact the museum curator for virtual research assistance. Starting a family tree project can be a great activity for the whole family. It’s a fun and educational way to pass time together, learn about the past and make new memories. To get started, e-mail museum.archives@haldimandcounty.on.ca or call 905-318-5932 ext. 6613.

While library branches are closed, staff are available to answer questions via e-mail. Any library materials currently on loan, regardless of due date, will be accepted without fines once the library reopens. Residents are asked to not drop off borrowed materials until the library re-opens.

For local information about the COVID-19 pandemic – including facility closures, program cancellations, meeting postponement & visitation restriction information – visit HaldimandCounty.ca/covid-19/.

For the most up-to-date public health information, visit the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit’s website.