We know you’ve been waiting eagerly, and we’re excited to announce that Cotuit Library is bringing back some in-person services to our patrons! We’re going to go slowly: we started with accepting the return of materials via our “Drive-Thru Drop Off.” Now, we're reopening the book drop and, starting Tuesday, May 26 , providing curbside pickup of books, movies and other items. It’s very important for all of us to remember that in order to make this system work, we will need your help and cooperation .


CURBSIDE PICKUP: STARTS TUESDAY, MAY 26

Now that we have got our safe item-handling routine streamlined and more of our materials back, we will start circulating physical items again, using curbside service. Staff working in the building will be taking all required precautions to ensure your materials are safe to pick up. All staff will be wearing masks and engaging in frequent hand-washing and sanitizing, and all items being circulated (and the bags we put them in) will have been quarantined for 72 hours or more and surface sanitized.

  • Starting Tuesday, May 26, we will contact patrons who already have holds that have been waiting since we closed the Library in March. We will also start filling new hold requests, which you can do by phone at 508-428-8141, by email at cotuitlibrarian@gmail.com, or through the CLAMS online catalog using your library card barcode and PIN number. If you are unsure of your barcode or PIN number, please contact us by phone or at the above email. We will respond as soon as possible. We are not receiving deliveries from other libraries, so please limit your requests to items held by Cotuit Library.
  • Requests will be filled in the order in which they were received. Because of our reduced schedule and staff hours, you may need to wait a few days before receiving your items. You may call to request items from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (starting Tuesday, May 26). Email and online catalog requests may be made at any time, but will only be processed when staff are working.
  • All requests will be placed as holds on your patron record--staff will not look for specific items for patrons during a telephone request. This is to ensure that holds are triggered in the order in which they are received.
  • Staff will call you to schedule a time frame for you to pick up your items. Any items not picked up during that time frame will be removed and rescheduled.
  • Please wait for staff to call you before coming to the Library. We will not fill unscheduled service requests.
  • Once your pick up is scheduled, your items will be checked out to you and placed in a bag with your name on it on a table in front of the Library.
  • If someone else is retrieving their items at the same time, please wait until they finish their pick-up before retrieving your materials.
  • All library patrons should wear a mask during pickup.
  • If you are homebound, please contact us so we can arrange for a front-door drop off. We ask that this service only be requested by those who truly have no other way to get their materials.
  • Other libraries on the Cape will be also be providing limited services in the weeks ahead. What each library can offer is dependent on their staffing, their building and other factors. Please check with other libraries to learn what services they may be offering. You may be able to get materials from another library, but you will have to physically go to that library to retrieve them--they will not be delivered to Cotuit. Contact information for the CLAMS member libraries can be found HERE.

RETURNS

Currently, our book drop is open for returns from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and a cart is also available if you do not feel comfortable using the book drop. Staff are wiping the book drop handle with sanitizer regularly, but patrons should always remember to sanitize or wash their hands as soon as possible after coming in contact with communal surfaces.

We ask that patrons returning items wear masks and maintain social distancing, waiting others to finish their returns/pickups before proceeding with their own. We also ask patrons NOT to drop off book donations--the Friends are not yet working in the building, and we cannot process and store donations at this time.
_____________________________________________________________

Don't forget to sign up for our weekly eNewsletter so you can find out the latest news, updates to our services, virtual programming and readers’ advisory and more. We have missed you and are delighted we can start supplying you with books and other physical library materials. We can’t wait til we can open the doors to you again!

Sincerely,

Antonia Stephens
Library Director