Library prepares for partial reopening

Heights Libraries is preparing its four branches for a partial reopening, scheduled for June 2 at the Lee Road branch, and June 9 for the Coventry Village, Noble Neighborhood, and University Heights branches.

On Monday, May 18, the Lee Road branch began to offer three services: curbside holds pick-ups, phone reference, and homebound delivery.

The curbside holds pick-up service is initially only for (1) customers who had holds ready at the time of the library’s closure on March 13, and (2) customers who wish to order by phone and pick up items currently available in the Lee Road building.

While these limited services were taking place, library staff were getting the library branch buildings ready for a partial reopening that will allow a limited number of customers to access select services in the buildings’ lobbies: new holds pick-up, obtaining tax forms, and using the copier.

Customers must be wearing a face mask to enter the lobby, and must wait to be admitted if the maximum number of customers permitted in the space has been reached. That number will vary from building to building.

Staff will be required to wear face masks, and special safety protocols have been established for handling returned materials.

Items can be returned to the outdoor bookdrops only; staff will not accept returns inside the buildings.

There will be no public restrooms available during lobby hours at any branch.

Days and hours for lobby service will be as follows:

• Beginning June 2, the Lee Road branch lobby-only hours will be Tuesday and Thursday, 1:30–9 p.m.; and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, noon to 5 p.m.; with Seniors Only hours on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon.
• Services on the same days and hours will begin June 9 at the Coventry, Noble and UH branches.
  
  

“Our staff have been busy in our buildings getting ready to welcome back a small number of customers at a time,” said Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin. “We have removed furniture, put up plexiglass safeguards in front of service desks, and rearranged our lobbies to ensure customers and staff can interact safely at a proper social distance of six feet. Staff will also be busy cleaning the buildings, both before and after customers come in.”

“Although we are not ready to completely reopen, we are looking forward to seeing customers in the lobby in June and getting used to this ‘new normal’,” said Levin. “We will be following the Governor’s Responsible Restart Ohio Guidelines, and complying with public health recommendations to keep staff and customers safe. We will continue to monitor the news and recommendations from the governor’s office throughout this process.”