The Bartholomew County Public Library is changing its service levels due to rising community spread of COVID-19.
“Bartholomew County has now moved back to Stage 4.5, BCSC has moved to eLearning, and in all likelihood the Indiana State Department of Health will declare Bartholomew County has a moderate-high level of community spread on Wednesday,” said library Director Jason Hatton. “The library takes seriously its responsibility for the safety of our patrons and staff.”
The following changes will begin Wednesday and will last through at least Nov. 27:
“Grab and Go” is in place for those coming inside, and patrons will be asked to limit their time spent in the building.
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All chairs will be moved so that patrons will not be able to sit at tables for studying or other purposes.
All meeting room usage will be suspended.
A one-hour time limit will be in effect for computer usage.
Computer availability will be at 50% capacity.
Both the main library and the Hope branch will continue current operating hours, which can be viewed at mybcpl.org. Changes in service levels will be re-evaluated every Wednesday.
Since the library reopened on July 6, the number of people inside the building has been “steadily increasing,” though activity is still down from where it was prior to COVID-19, Hatton said. There are typically about 15 to 20 people in the library building “at any given point in time,” he said.
He added that while there are no “hard limits” or strict enforcement on how much time patrons spend inside the library, “approximately 30 minutes” would be appropriate.
“We will just have everyone come in and out the main door,” Hatton said. “We’ll close off our children’s entrance, just so we can kind of keep a better eye, and we can let everyone know when they come in.”
Per the governor’s statewide mandate, masks are required inside the library. While patrons are encouraged to bring their own masks, a greeter at the main entrance has disposable masks available for those who need them.
For those who do not wish to go inside the building, the library is still offering curbside service. Patrons can place holds through the library website or by calling the Reference Department at 812-379-1266. More information is available at mybcpl.org/curbside.
Home delivery of items is also available for those who are quarantining or at high risk for the virus. Patrons interested in this service can contact the Outreach Department at bookmobile@mybcpl.org or 812-379-1278.
Hatton added that the digital materials are also an option for readers.
“They can apply for a digital card online if they don’t have a traditional library card, and there’s a wealth of e-books, audiobooks, magazines, all sorts of things that we’d be happy to give them a rundown, if they want to send us an email or give us a call,” he said.
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More information about the Bartholomew County Public Library’s resources and policies is available at mybcpl.org and on the library’s Facebook page. Questions can be directed to the main library at 812-379-1255.
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