The Ridgefield Library announced today that beginning on June 15th it will be offering Lobby pickup service for materials placed on hold for Ridgefield Library cardholders. This initiative is part of a phased reopening plan developed in accordance with guidelines issued by national, state and local authorities.
To prepare for Lobby pickup service, the Library also announced that commencing Saturday, June 13th, the public can return books and other borrowed materials to the outside bookdrop on Saturdays and Sundays only. The Library will continue to waive overdue fines and fees.
The transfer of Library materials back and forth safely is a priority. The Library will be following the recommended guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Library Association (ALA), the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and the New England Journal of Medicine.
“To protect our community, the Ridgefield Library must ensure that materials can be safely received by patrons into their homes and that those materials can be returned to our building and back to the shelves in a manner that protects our staff,” said Brenda McKinley, Library Director of the Ridgefield Library. “Unlike many other sectors of our economy, this circulation of materials presents a unique challenge for libraries.”
To manage this the Library will begin the quarantine process with returned materials being held in the Library’s materials handling area. These materials will be held for 72 hours before being sorted and res-shelved by Library staff.
All new materials the Library receives from vendors will be quarantined for 72 hours from the date of delivery to the Library building. The Friends of the Ridgefield Library is not accepting donations at this time.
Library staff will have personal protective equipment and work on a staggered schedule to encourage social distancing.
“These first steps of accepting returns and beginning Lobby pickup service are important ones,” said McKinley. “with the guidance from local, state and federal authorities we will continue to take slow, safe steps toward regular operations. We are actively planning for the next steps and will share dates and details when available. Our guiding principle remains to serve our patrons in the most responsible way possible while protecting the health of our community and the health of our Library staff.”
Please visit the Library’s website www.ridgefieldlibrary.org for further details on book and materials return, Lobby pickup for items placed on hold, and how to request items from the Library’s collection.
Stay safe, stay healthy and stay strong.
*Photo by Peter Loppacher