Submitted by the Whatcom County Library System
The Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) buildings will likely be reopened to the general public on Monday, March 1, 2021. The county libraries have modified providers, lowered hours and entry necessities for face-to-face visits beneath Governor Jay Inslee’s Wholesome Washington Plan. Roadside library materials assortment continues. Go to wcls.org/data or name a district library for industry-specific service particulars.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the WCLS buildings have been initially closed to the general public on March 16, 2020 after which reopened on October 26, 2020 with modified providers and entry rules. In response to the rising variety of COVID-19 instances in Whatcom County and to additional cut back the unfold of transmission, the buildings closed once more on November 23, 2020. Throughout all the constructing closure, library providers continued on-line and by roadside pick-up.
To make sure the well being of group members and library employees, the next guidelines apply in all buildings of the district library:
- Everybody over 2 years of age should put on a face masks always within the WCLS services. This contains individuals who have obtained the COVID-19 vaccination. For individuals who forgot to deliver them, grownup and baby masks can be found.
- As a way to guarantee an applicable bodily distance, the employees on the laptop workstations aren’t in a position to present private, sensible help.
- To start with, the non-public opening occasions in most branches are restricted from Monday to Saturday from 1 p.m. to five p.m. Name your native library department or go to wcls.org/data to plan your go to.
- Since library buildings are restricted to 25 p.c occupancy, customers are requested to maintain their visits temporary.
- Guests should hold a distance of 6 toes between themselves and others.
- People who find themselves not doing nicely ought to keep at dwelling.
- Anybody who doesn’t adjust to these necessities is requested to go away the library constructing.
WCLS will proceed to supply different, contactless providers equivalent to roadside library materials pickup, curated luggage of books, DVDs, board video games and magazines, and digital content material at wcls.org/digital-content.
Further well being and security measures embody:
- Staff have accomplished coaching and should move a each day well being self-assessment earlier than reporting for work.
- Lounge seats have been eliminated. Seating is accessible for laptop customers.
- Public Web laptop keyboards, mice and contact screens are disinfected between customers.
- Staff recurrently disinfect high-contact areas. Hand sanitizer will likely be offered.
- Public bogs are restricted to at least one resident or family at a time.
- The early instructional toys for youngsters have been eliminated.
- Public water fountains have been turned off.
- Subscriptions to newspapers outdoors town have been quickly suspended.
These operational adjustments might change primarily based on county well being developments and tips. WCLS follows the suggestions of the Facilities for Illness Management and the Whatcom County Well being Division.
The reopening of the constructing applies to WCLS’s 10 county places in Blaine, Deming, Everson, Ferndale, Kendall (North Fork), Lummi Island, Lynden, Level Roberts, Sudden Valley (South Whatcom) and Sumas. The Library Specific places at Level Roberts Library and 5205 Northwest Drive in Bellingham will likely be open as normal. The bookmobile will proceed its regular schedule with walk-up service in Glenhaven (Mondays 3-7pm), Birch Bay (Wednesdays 3-7pm), Wickersham (Thursdays 3-5pm) and Lake Samish (Thursdays, 5pm) : 30.00-19.00).
The Bellingham Public Library (BPL), a separate library system serving residents inside Bellingham metropolis limits, shouldn’t be at present reopening any buildings. BPL has consolidated employees and providers for its three branches to run a roadside pickup program Monday by way of Saturday on the downtown central library beneath renovation. BPL accepts returns across the clock in its Central, Fairhaven and Barkley branches.
Updates on the providers of the district library are revealed on wcls.org and on the social media channels of the district library system.
