News

Read On! Safety measures revisited

July 28, 2020

COVID Cautions are a drag. I hate that we have to think about all of these things that were once automatic. Shaking hands, hugging, hanging out, going back to school. Everything we did a year ago with no second thought now has to be carefully planned and explained and justified. It’s exhausting and it’s scary. It’s also important. So, here’s a reminder of what we’re doing at the Library to make sure our community and staff are safe. 

There is incredibly compelling evidence that this coronavirus stays in the air a lot longer than originally thought. This means, hanging out in the Library (or in any public building) is not super safe. Our staff doesn’t have much choice about being here, so we’re encouraging all of our patrons to be quick about what they need in the building. To that end, we removed most of our chairs and rearranged many areas to encourage quick visits. We still have curbside pickup available for anyone who wants it. 

The staff are wearing masks when we interact with our patrons. They’re not particularly fun to wear for a full library shift, but keeping each other safe is important. We are not requiring patrons to wear masks in the building, but if you need help from staff (especially at the computer or copier), you may be asked to keep your distance if you don’t have a mask on. 

Speaking of computers, all of our patrons are limited to one hour of computer time per day in the building. If you have your own device, we’ve got our wifi on 24 hours a day. It reaches into the parking lot, so you’re welcome to use it while you hang out in your car or on the lawn. 

We are cleaning surfaces with a bleach solution. Some surfaces, like countertops, are cleaned hourly. Others, like our self-check machine and computers, are cleaned after every use.

Stay safe and wash your hands.