At long last, community members will be able to peruse the shelves of Durango Public Library, one of the last Durango city services to relaunch after coronavirus closures.
Other libraries in the region, like those in Bayfield, Ignacio and Farmington, reopened months ago. But the Durango library, which shut its doors in March, remained closed because of low staffing and sanitation concerns. Still facing those challenges, the library will partially reopen with restrictions Oct. 13.
“As a library, we miss working with people,” said Sandy Irwin, library director. “We’re hoping we don’t have problems with people not wanting to wear masks. That’s probably our biggest concern ... and just keeping everybody healthy.”
The building will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays, and curbside pickup services will be available from 2 to 5 p.m.
The restricted hours are necessary because library staff is limited, Irwin said. Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the library has lost 140 staff hours per week. Irwin said she hopes to replace some of those hours in 2021.
“That did provide a large challenge for us,” Irwin said. “You can’t provide the same level of service or the same hours with that much loss.”
When the building is open, staff members will disinfect high-touch surfaces every hour. Staff members will also remind people to wear masks, which are required, and will count people coming in and out of the building to comply with capacity limits.
When capacity is reached, patrons will need to wait outside the building, and if needed, outside the children’s room until others are ready to leave. The library also cannot accommodate groups.
Computer use is limited to one reservation each day to allow more people to access them. The computers will be disinfected at the end of each day, and if someone wants to clean it before use, he or she should ask a staff member for assistance.
The entire library will be deep-cleaned and disinfected each evening per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“We are excited to bring people back,” Irwin said. “What’s difficult is that it won’t be the same, and we think people will expect it to be the same.”
Furniture is removed, especially upholstered furniture. Study rooms are closed. Social distancing reminders will be placed on walls and floors, including directional arrows. When people need assistance, staff members will stay 6 feet away.
For many, the library is a community space to spend time. Now, visits will be kept brief, Irwin said.
“We’re hoping the maximum time someone would spend in the building is one hour,” she said. “If you could make it less, that is great. More than that, we would rather they wouldn’t.”
Over the next few weeks, library staff members will be focused on preparing. They are reviewing procedures, making sure they haven’t missed anything, and putting up signs and floor decals, Irwin said.
She asked people to have patience with the staff.
“We know that navigating COVID is a challenge for everybody,” Irwin said. “We have such a great community. ... We’re doing the best we can to keep everybody safe.”
smullane@durangoherald.com
