GCPL Director Ed wrote the following blog post in response to recent patron inquiries:
The question has been asked “Why can’t I go into my library branch?”
The first reason is that we are minimally staffed with very limited hours. The staff that are present are focused on helping with the limited services we are providing: curbside delivery, phone and email reference, creation and delivery of virtual programming, etc.
The second reason is that we want to ensure the safety of both staff and patrons. We are working toward plans that can ensure safe social distancing within the library for services that our patrons use regularly including browsing the collection, use of library computers, and simply use of our physical space. This is a work in progress and libraries across the country are discussing ways to make this happen.
Finally, the library is normally a pretty busy place with lots of people coming and going. Even with the restrictions loosened by the governor, we still have the issue of not having a gathering of more than 10 people. The frequency with which that occurs in any of our buildings makes that a cause for concern.
Having spoken with library patrons and library staff, I can assure you that everyone is eager to get back to where we were before all this started. I can also assure you that no one is eager for anyone to make anyone else sick because they visited the library. So for the time being, we will keep working toward opening things up and providing more services in the safest possible way. And we thank you all for your patience.