Patron accounts and the BCFLS catalog have been rebooted from the most resent backup, on June 14, 2019. For details, please scroll down.
Mars Area Public Library Service Update
Patron accounts have been rebooted from the most recent backup, on June 14, 2019. Since accounts are pulled from the June 14 backup, you will most likely see out of date information in your account. Please visit or call us so we can get your account up to date (724-625-9048). You can log into your account at this new link: bcfls.tlcdelivers.com/#section=myaccount
If you renewed your library card or got a new library card, between June 14 and July 30, your account will need to be renewed or set up again. Please visit or call us so we can fix this for you (724-625-9048).
Update* You can now place holds and request items from other libraries.
Our library does not have public WiFi yet, and our public computers are still down. In the interim, Northern Tier Library, at 4015 Dickey Rd, Gibsonia, offers guest passes for their computers. If you have your own device, consider supporting a local business that offers WiFi, such as Peach Tree Creamery, at 118 Grand Ave, Mars; Mars Brewhouse, at 502 Pittsburgh St, Mars; or Posti’s Pizza, at 130 Grand Ave, Mars.
We apologize for the inconveniences, and we are working hard to restore our services to fully operational. Thank you so much for your patience! For any questions, please visit or call us at 724-625-9048.
If you renewed your library card or got a new library card, between June 14 and July 30, your account will need to be renewed or set up again. Please visit or call us so we can fix this for you (724-625-9048).
Update* You can now place holds and request items from other libraries.
Our library does not have public WiFi yet, and our public computers are still down. In the interim, Northern Tier Library, at 4015 Dickey Rd, Gibsonia, offers guest passes for their computers. If you have your own device, consider supporting a local business that offers WiFi, such as Peach Tree Creamery, at 118 Grand Ave, Mars; Mars Brewhouse, at 502 Pittsburgh St, Mars; or Posti’s Pizza, at 130 Grand Ave, Mars.
We apologize for the inconveniences, and we are working hard to restore our services to fully operational. Thank you so much for your patience! For any questions, please visit or call us at 724-625-9048.
BCFLS Update, as of July 30
Recently, the member libraries of the Butler County Federated Library System (BCFLS) were targeted by ransomware. Files and servers were encrypted and many patron services were suspended.
Thanks to backup files, library administrators expect to restore some patron services, though full-service restoration is weeks away. In the interim, all county libraries remain open to patrons, although operating hours and services may be limited. Please check with your library for specific hours and service availability.
On July 17, library computers and WiFi were affected by the malware. During the period before and immediately after the breach was discovered and computers were shutdown, some library patrons may have been adversely affected.
Patrons who used the internet during that time are advised to change their passwords for any personal sites they visited (such as shopping or banking); and to install up-to-date virus and malware protection, to protect against the latest threats.
Libraries are a hub for learning, so library directors are offering advice to patrons who regularly use public computers or WiFi in county libraries – or in any public location.
Thanks to backup files, library administrators expect to restore some patron services, though full-service restoration is weeks away. In the interim, all county libraries remain open to patrons, although operating hours and services may be limited. Please check with your library for specific hours and service availability.
On July 17, library computers and WiFi were affected by the malware. During the period before and immediately after the breach was discovered and computers were shutdown, some library patrons may have been adversely affected.
Patrons who used the internet during that time are advised to change their passwords for any personal sites they visited (such as shopping or banking); and to install up-to-date virus and malware protection, to protect against the latest threats.
Libraries are a hub for learning, so library directors are offering advice to patrons who regularly use public computers or WiFi in county libraries – or in any public location.
- Avoid conducting private business on public computers or WiFi. If you have no choice but to enter sensitive information into a public computer, consult with a library staff member about some added precautions to make your web activity as safe as possible.
- If you bring your own devices to access the library’s public WiFi, consider purchasing a secure, encrypted Virtual Private Network (VPN). Ask us for more information about a VPN.
- Invest in a virus/malware protection program for your personal devices and make certain to perform updates and scans.
- When a patron ‘logs off’ a public computer at the library, their internet activity is erased. Butler County libraries do not solicit or store sensitive information in their databases or on library computers.
- Review your library’s Computer and Internet Use Policies.
- Ask a library staff member for a free copy of a recent Consumer Reports article concerning public WiFi, available here: www.consumerreports.org/digital-security/is-using-public-wifi-still-a-bad-idea/ and here: https://www.consumerreports.org/privacy/how-to-choose-a-vpn-for-digital-privacy-and-security/
