The Library is now open without restrictions!
Following Governor Cuomo's suspension of COVID restrictions, the library has resumed most of its operations and removed limitations on visitors to the building. It is wonderful to again see patrons enjoying our beautiful facility and extensive services!
The unprecedented circumstances of the past year have impacted every aspect of our lives. Forced to close in order to protect the health of staff and the public, the Library quickly discovered Zoom as a way to deliver programs and hold meetings remotely. We implemented live chat and added Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to our website to provide remote assistance. Our FAQs remain available on our website for your convenience in getting questions answered on demand. We successfully implemented curbside pickup of materials and want to continue this service for patrons who've embraced the concept of 'grab and go'. Streaming services from the library have become reliable alternatives to DVDs, books and music CDs. These changes in library services have added a new dimension to our role in the community as a source of learning and discovery.
The most significant challenge as we transition toward normalcy is how we repair our social distance from one another–not the six-foot safety spacing suggested by the CDC, but how we fully resume our daily interactions and typical socializing that have been constrained by the isolation and fears of the past fifteen months. As a hub of the community, our library is a renowned bustling place where people gather to chat, listen to a speaker, read or study beside one another, play cards or scrabble, watch a film, or have a meeting. I'm certain that we will once again be the dynamic environment that so many of us love, but understandably it will take time for us all to feel comfortable and safe enough to reach that point.
We will continue to provide basic services in the library as well as offer select in-person outdoor programs through the summer, while gradually resuming in-person indoor presentations and programs in the fall. Meanwhile, we will watch infection rates and do our best to avoid a surge as colder weather arrives. Be assured that when you visit the library, your welcome will include a clean environment with plenty of sanitizer and wipes to use as you see fit.
Be sure to include the library as part of what I hope will be an enjoyable and healthy summer for us all!
John Sexton, Library Director
