Libraries won’t be the same when they reopen
The aisles of Bay Area public libraries have been quiet over the past two months with shelterinplace orders in effect due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As summer approaches, however, individuals and families around Northern California are wondering how they will be able to access the muchneeded materials, resources and activities offered by their local branches.
Many librarians are wondering the same thing, too.
Plans to reopen libraries are still in the discussion phase for most Bay Area counties, especially with many of their employees deployed as emergency service workers.
But some general guidelines are coming into focus as stayathome restrictions are loosened. The days of leisurely browsing the stacks, jumping on the internet and dropping in on lively toddler singalongs will be on hold for the foreseeable future.
“It’s going to look different,” said Diane Roche, director of communications for the Santa Clara County Library District. “It’s going to be different.”
What that looks like in California will vary countybycounty. Generally speaking, though, patrons can expect nocontact curbside pickups and dropoffs; a set quarantine period for books, DVDs and other borrowed materials that could last from 72 hours to seven days; mandatory face covering requirements inside buildings; sneeze guards and hand sanitizer at service desks; and oneway arrows in the aisles.
“There’s a lot of logistics to it,” said Sara Jones, director of Marin County Library Services. “We understand that people want books. We understand libraries are essential. But we have to figure out how to open them safely.”
The timeline for reopening libraries depends largely on when they will be able to recover a significant portion of their workforce that was redeployed as disaster service workers.
In some places, such as Marin County, approximately 30% to 40% of library workers are currently working on the front lines of the pandemic, either contact tracing, delivering meals to atrisk individuals or managing social services.
“Our whole world has been upended,” said Jones.
Working with guidelines provided by the national Institute of Museum and Library Services and local health departments, as well as observing what’s happening in their individual communities, libraries hope to put together a clearer vision of what their operations may look like.
“We’re looking at real world experience — what are the things we can learn from what’s going on in the retail side right now?” said Matt Berson, public information officer for the Oakland Public Library. “We’re also observing what other library systems around the country are planning. Some have already reopened and we’ve got a team looking at what that would look like.”
Alameda and Napa counties were among the first in the region to resume basic library services at some branches this week, using curbside pickup for online holds.
“There was a lot of happiness when we opened (Wednesday) — among our team and the public,” said Cindy Chadwick, county librarian for Alameda County. “It was our first time opening our doors in weeks, and it was a good day.”
In Napa, patrons receiving materials on Thursday were required to park their cars in designated spaces, remain inside the vehicle and call the library to have a staff member deliver their items to them.
“This was a long process of looking at many things,” said Anthony Halstead, director of library services for Napa County. “As an institution with the idea of ‘circulation’ at the forefront of our service model, that’s different than retail and increases the potential for exposure.”
Roche said that when libraries reopen their doors, patrons will be encouraged to use selfservice options when checking out materials. They also will be asked to limit communication with the staff to chat, email or phone.
The safety of library staff and visitors alike will be a determining factor in how things feel.
“There will be a phased introduction of services,” she said. “It will be based on the strictest guidelines.”
In the meantime, libraries have successfully managed to move most of their resources online.
“It’s important to consider what libraries have been able to continue to do, how adaptable they’ve been and how important they’re likely to be as our economy and society begin the recovery process,” Halstead said.
The library representatives who spoke to The Chronicle noted a huge spike in electronic checkouts and are looking to increase their purchases of ebooks.
“Every library system is figuring this out as we go,” Chadwick said. “Physical distancing is not what public libraries do — it’s completely alien to our business. But we are lucky to have great professional networks, and an ethos of collaboration, so we are all talking to each other constantly.”
Libraries have moved many of their regular programs, from author talks to children’s story times, online with huge success.
“We have seriously amped up our online presence,” said Jones. “We brought so many more materials online and put more resources in them.”
The robust digital options will most likely stay in place even after the threat of COVID19 passes.
“It’s one good thing that’s come out of this whole horrible situation,” said Roche. “We want to keep our patrons reading.”
Berson said Oakland libraries will join other libraries across the country to move its popular summer learning challenge program online, following the virtual success of its community service offerings, such as its weekly free law consultation roundtable.
“Now, more than ever, libraries need to rise to the occasion to assist our communities, and we are doing just that,” said Katie Woods, communications manager of San Mateo County Libraries. “Currently, we are offering over 25 virtual staffled adult and youth programs a week, and we’ve started oneonone virtual tech help assistance, ESL (English as a second language) conversation clubs and virtual book clubs.”
Bay Area libraries are also working to close the digital divide by boosting the WiFi range to reach the grounds and parking lots to help people access the internet while their branches are closed.
That’s important for people who depend on libraries to stay connected, whether it’s to fill out job applications or file for food assistance programs.
“We are working on innovative ways we can keep our community connected during shelterinplace,” said Woods
That includes the distribution of more than 500 hotspots, some of which are laptop and hotspot combos. That is happening in Marin, Napa, Alameda and other counties, too.
As for all those items that have been checked out since lockdown orders went into effect in March — some counties estimate they number in the hundreds of thousands — patrons can rest easy.
“Obviously, we want to get all those materials returned, but we want to be flexible,” said Roche.
All the libraries we spoke with have extended due dates and eliminated overdue fines.
“Libraries will be more needed than ever with the economic challenges coming,” Chadwick said. “I’m actually excited for the next iteration of public libraries; it’s time . ... I have no doubt we will keep innovating and we will find ways to meet our communities’ needs.”