Melissa Voss | Editor
Local libraries are opening up around the county, and they are preparing to keep all patrons safe. Crooks, Colton, Hartford and Humboldt Siouxland Library branches have been a part of the Reopening Plan, a project that Siouxland Libraries have proposed to reopen their libraries to their local communities in the safest way possible.
Siouxland Libraries Rural Branch Manager Alysia Boysen states that with the collaborative help of librarian not only in our communities, but across the country, Siouxland Libraries has felt confident to open their doors back up to the community in a safe way.
“Librarians are good at working together and sharing information, not only in South Dakota but across the country. Collaboration on what is going to keep the staff safe but give people access people vital resources not only traditional resources but other services. Slowly many other branches are opening back up simple things such as copying,” Boysen states.
Siouxland Libraries have taken on procedures within their libraries in response to COVID-19.
Boysen says that library staff will wear masks and will regularly clean highly trafficked areas such as counters, baskets, and shelves. Hand sanitizer stations and Clorox wipes will be available throughout the libraries.
One action is to quarantine all library items for four days before staff handle them for either checking in or shelving. Boysen describes this process as an “abundance of caution.”
“Whenever an item is returned, we set them aside for four days. This is based off of the Center of Disease Control’s (CDC) recommendation as well as studies that have shown that the virus lives on glossy surfaces for four days. With paper, it is less, but we can never be too safe,” Boysen says.
Boysen also notes that if you are afraid of your late fees being affected by this four-day process, to not worry.
“We are going to monitor how late fees are affected and try to waive any that are affected by the four-day quarantine process. By giving this grace period, we want to ensure nobody is negatively impacted because they wanted to keep their item by their designated due date,” Boysen says.
All branches will be providing curbside pickup, some of them are self-service while others require calling to schedule an appointment.
The Hartford Branch offers an extended hours location, where community members can access the library remotely and perform a “self-checkout” of library resources. Boysen states that this allows minimal interaction while still using the library’s resources.
Not all services are back up and running, many of the previously available services that the libraries provide, such as printing, meeting rooms, public computers, interlibrary loans, play areas and seating, are still being discussed within the library system of when they will reopen.