Greetings from the Great Bend Public Library. Our reopening plans have significantly changed since our last article. Please read on to learn more about what will happen over the next few weeks.

We’ve been rearranging things and will need a bit of time to get workstations settled into place. The customer service desk moved last week. Phone lines will be moved to new locations this Friday. Next week staff computers will be installed at new staff workstations. Furniture will be moved into place and displays will be updated. 

This week staff have been working staggered hours. We’ve been emptying the drop box, running everything through the bed bug zapper, quarantining returned materials for 72 hours, and shelving everything after quarantining. 

Next week, all staff will be working in the building, but we will not open to the public just yet. We will offer limited curbside service to those patrons with materials already on hold that have been waiting since March. That will get everything caught up so we will be ready to open to the public June 8th.

When the library opens on June 8th things will look quite different. Unfortunately, this list sounds like quite a lot of “not available and nos”.There will be no tables and chairs for public seating. Magazines and newspapers will not be available. Every other computer will be closed. Staff will not be able to offer tech assistance or help with the self-serve copier. There will be no face to face programs. Meeting and study rooms will not be open. Restrooms will not be open to the public. Telephone use will not be available to the public. We will not be accepting any donations at this time. We will offer fax service and at this time, patrons will be able to print up to ten copies at no charge. Patrons will be able to browse the stacks and select their own materials to borrow. 

All touch points will be disinfected once each day. Library staff will regularly disinfect their personal workstations throughout the day. Adults will be personally responsible for their own health and safety. Adults with children in their care will be responsible for the health and safety of those children. Remember, the library does not provide child care and all children under 10 years of age and patrons of any age having special needs related to physical or mental ability requiring special accommodations must be attended and adequately supervised at all times by an accompanying adult, age 16 or older. Parents and adults accompanying children are responsible for their children’s behavior while in the library.

Patrons are not required to wear masks at the library. Library staff will be wearing cloth masks for your safety and we encourage you to do the same for us. We appreciate your understanding as we navigate these liminal waters and do our best to return to library service while safeguarding the health of our staff and community. Over the summer we hope to ramp up to full library services. 

Watch our website, greatbendpl.info, and Facebook page for more information on our opening timeline. Have questions? We are here to help. You can message us on Facebook or email us at gbcirc@gmail.com.

Hannah Grippin is the outreach and marketing manager for the Great Bend Public Library. She can be reached by email at gbcirc@gmail.com.