The Southeast Arkansas Regional Library’s Dumas Branch will welcome a special guest this Friday, Dec. 19. Library Manager Felicia Kozubski said area children can visit Santa from 5 to 6 p.m.
“He will be taking pictures with anybody who wants to come out during that time,” Kozubski said. “Everybody is welcome to show up, take pictures, and have a good time.”
Children from ages 1 to 12 will receive gifts ahead of Christmas, courtesy of Save the Children in Monticello.
“Throughout the year, they partner with us. They send us free books to give to our community and other things. We take so much pride in that,” Kozubski said.
The library’s partnership with Save the Children extends beyond the holiday season, allowing families to build their own at-home libraries.
“Not a lot of us are fortunate enough to have electronic devices and stuff like that to download digital libraries or have the means to go and buy books. Being able to have these books that are donated to us to give to our community is such a blessing,” Kozubski said.
No registration is required to attend the library’s event at 120 E. Choctaw St. in Dumas.
Scam alert
The Southeast Arkansas Regional Library is also alerting patrons to a scam email circulating that appears to be from the library but is not an official communication. The fraudulent email requests payment for an overdue copy of “The Da Vinci Code” or another title.
“I am not 100 percent sure if it (the scam) is still going,” Kozubski said. “If you have any overdue books or anything like that, we will usually send out a letter as well as a text message or an email.”
Kozubski encourages community members to contact library staff if they receive a questionable email.
“If you are not sure about an overage or anything like a late fee, always call your local library branch and confirm with them about the material that you are getting notified about. They can check it to resolve any issues that may be there, as well as confirm everything,” Kozubski said.
Library officials advise patrons not to click on any links in suspicious messages, as phishing links may install malware on electronic devices. Residents who receive an email that does not appear to be from a trusted source are encouraged not to open it, delete it immediately, avoid clicking any links or downloading attachments, and not reply to the sender or call phone numbers listed in the message.
Kozubski added that it is easy for library patrons to renew books without accruing a fee or visiting the library in person.
“You do not have to come in just to re-check your book. Just give us a call, and we can do it over the phone for free,” Kozubski said.
More information
The Dumas Public Library is one of nine branches that make up the Southeast Arkansas Regional Library System. The Dumas branch is at 120 E. Choctaw St. in Dumas.
More information about all nine library locations can be found at the Southeast Arkansas Regional Library System website. Each branch also maintains its own Facebook page.
Patrons with questions about events, accounts, or suspicious emails are encouraged to contact their local library branch directly for assistance.
