The Lamar County Library System will begin its process for re-opening its branches that were forced to close because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a four-step plan designed to slowly bring back employees and reinstate service to clients.
The process was approved April 30 during a meeting of the library system’s board of directors, held at the Purvis Public Library. Because each of the four libraries in the system – Oak Grove, Purvis, Sumrall and Lumberton – has different circumstances and community needs, each branch may proceed through the stages at different rates, and an exact timeline for the entire process has not been determined.
Stage 1
As of May 4, regular staff schedules will resume, with flexibility for childcare, elder care and health concerns. The staff will maintain distancing and sanitizing procedures while preparing the facilities for the return of the public, determining which staff members may not be able to work with the public because of health risks, repairing and processing materials, handling mail and taking care of fiscal, personnel and statistical matters.
Patrons can begin returning materials to the book drops, and returned items will be quarantined for 14 days before returning to circulation. Some services will be restored to the public, such as interlibrary loan, limited telephone reference and books by mail.
The public will not be allowed inside buildings, but WiFi will be accessible in the libraries’ parking lots, and limited programming will be provided through Facebook pages.
Stage 2
In stage two, which is scheduled for May 11 – contingent on whether Gov. Tate Reeves extends his “safer at home” order – the public will be allowed in the building on a limited schedule in designated areas only. Distancing and sanitizing will be maintained, including the recommended wearing of masks by staff and patrons.
“So for example, (in Purvis), we would rope off sort of an area that (guests) could just go to the front desk, but they’d be able to access the bathrooms,” library system director Diane DeCesare Ross said. “But other than that, they would be limited to just that area.”
Patrons will be allowed to request library materials, which will be retrieved by the staff, and computer access will be limited to allow for safe distancing between patrons, with sanitization in between users. Limited library programming will be provided through Facebook pages, and curbside delivery or pickup of library materials will be available as feasible.
“My concern (with computer access) is that I want to make sure that there is equipment available for people who are having to do unemployment paperwork,” Ross said. “Most of that stuff is online now, and you really can’t get to your unemployment stuff without being online, so I’m concerned about our community members who don’t have good access.
“And we’re looking into getting keyboard covers that can be wiped down, and plexiglass shields (at the front desk). So some of when we will be able to open to the public depends on if we will be able to get enough sanitizing materials in.”
Stage 3
In Stage 3, which does not have a set timeline, the library will be open to the public and all library services will be provided on a limited schedule – so long as adequate sanitation supplies are available. Appropriate distancing and sanitizing will continue, and computer access and public seating may be limited.
If health considerations allow, in-library programming may be resumed.
“It would be nice if we could get to Stage 3 by the middle of June,” assistant system director Terry Lajaunie said. “I think there’s potential for being able to carry out summer library programs as planned if we can get to Stage 3 by the middle of June, but we could see about rescheduling the water days for the first week of August.
“My thought about having the summer library programs is to have them in the community centers, and we could block off six-foot squares on the floor (for distancing purposes).”
Stage 4
In Stage 4, the library will be fully open to the public, with access and all library services provided under normal procedures and schedules. That stage also does not have a set timeline.
