The Crossings Branch of the Lethbridge Public Library (Lethbridge News Now)

By Justin Goulet

Lethbridge Library reopens book returns, offering limited curbside pick up

May 21, 2020 | 11:34 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – If you’ve got library books laying around and haven’t been able to return them, you’re in luck.

The Lethbridge Public Library has announced that effective Thursday, May 21, book returns are reopened to the public. Anyone looking to bring items back to the Main Branch (downtown Lethbridge) can drop them off into the book return located at the children’s department entrance.

People with items can also return them at the Crossings Branch on the west side of Lethbridge. Items can be dropped off into the return slot at the south entrance of the Britannia Boulevard facility.

“Items being returned will be quarantined for a minimum of 72 hours to ensure that, if there is a possibility of virus transmission, it’s mitigated by the quarantine period,” said Terra Plato, CEO of the Lethbridge Public Library.

“Our goal is to, obviously, keep the safety of our staff and our patrons number-one in mind in all of this.”

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Plato noted that for the time being, they will continue to not charge late fees.

“We don’t want people to have to leave their homes if they’re feeling ill,” she said.

CURBSIDE PICK UP

The Lethbridge Public Library has also announced that they are offering limited curbside pick up for any citizens looking to pick up items.

Curbside pick up will first be made available to customers that have existing holds – holds that were ready for pick up on or before March 16, 2020.

These customers will get a phone call notifying them of pick up procedures.

Once these customers have received their items, curbside pick up will be opened to the community. Curbside pick up will be available Mondays through Saturdays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Plato noted that new holds on items can be made as of Thursday, May 21.

Items will be available at the shipping and receiving entrance at the north end of the parking lot of the Main Branch and in the parking lot on the north side of the facility at the Crossings Branch.

“If you don’t know what to put on hold, you can use our ‘surprise me’ service where you can either fill out a form or you can call the branch and let them know what sorts of topics or genres you like and staff will pick out some materials for you,” Plato told Lethbridge News Now.

TOY LIBRARY AND PHYSICAL LITERACY KITS

Plato said the library will not be offering curbside pick up for items in their toy library, or their physical literacy kits at this time.

“We are not doing curbside pick up on those items, just because they have a possible higher risk of transmission of the virus, so we’re just seeing how curbside delivery with our other collection goes first and then we might open those up at a later date,” she explained.

“One of the things we want people to be aware of is obviously we cannot guarantee the sanitization of library materials. We do quarantine them, but we do suggest that people who are immune compromised, it’s probably not the best idea for them to take out library materials at this time.”

Plato added that the local library system isn’t sure when exactly they will fully reopen their doors, but when approval is given to do so, it will be a gradual reopening process.

STAFFING

Unfortunately, due to the closures of the libraries in the wake of COVID-19, Plato said they were forced to temporarily lay off some casual staff early on during the pandemic.

“We did do some layoffs very early on of our casual staff when we closed our doors and we, along with the City have laid off a portion of our permanent staff as well and it’s really just based on what work is available,” she said.

“We’re making those decisions as things change, so we do still have staff working at the branches delivering the curbside service, delivering online services and programming, doing cleaning, that sort of thing. Where there’s work, we do have staff, but we unfortunately did have to do some temporary layoffs as part of the closure.”

COMMUNITY SAFETY MESSAGE

Plato told LNN that safety is their “number one decision-maker”.

“The nature of the services the library provides makes it extra challenging, so we are making sure we have good procedures in place; there is no face-to-face contact with staff as part of these services (curbside pick up and book drop-off), quarantining of library materials, staff are using the proper PPE (personal protective equipment) when they are working,” she said.

“Our goal is to provide library services, but only when and how it is safe to do so.”

The services of the Bookmobile will be made available at a later date, and the library has noted that due to the nature of COVID-19, their services may need to be suspended without notice.