WEST PARIS – Thursday, Library Director Brenda Gould updated selectmen on the libraries re-opening guidelines.
The building will operate on its pre-COVID-19 hours, which are 1:30 t0 6 p.m. on Monday and Friday’s, 1:30 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday’s and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday’s.
Curbside service will still be offered to all patrons.
Notable details in the guidelines Gould highlighted were no-use of the public restroom with the exception of emergencies, masks, hand sanitizer use and social distancing are mandated and only three people at a time are allowed in the library. Visitors will be limited to 30 minutes in the library.
Gould said the library received a $3,000 award from the Maine Humanities Council CARES Act Grant, which helped with unexpected expenses used for COVID-19 purposes, such as WiFi extenders, sneeze guards, air purifiers, hand sanitizer, keyboard covers, disposable masks and additional keyboards and mice.
Gould said there is still money remaining from the grant and that the library will use it when necessary.
Selectman Dale Piirainen said he would be interested in seeing patronage numbers since the library first re-opened on July 13.
Gould said she would include the numbers in her next report but estimated that anywhere between three to 10 people visit the library per day. She also said a couple of people use curbside service when the library is open.
Piirainen asked if the current guidelines encourage patronage.
Gould said she believed the guidelines help patrons it because it makes them feel more “secure” and “thankful.” Gould cited general safety as a possible reason as to why library use has gone down since re-opening.
“There are guidelines we have to follow as part of the states orders in order to re-open,” Gould said.
Piirainen asked if all libraries were following guidelines.
Gould said she thought most libraries abide by state rules. She explained that libraries have to deal with certain issues that other businesses don’t, which include having a lot of materials coming into the library and then going back out. In situations like this, materials will be quarantined, according to Gould. Studies nationwide have proven the quarantine method to be effective for library materials.
Piirainen said he was concerned that some of the library’s regular customers would not return at all after the pandemic.
“I’m worried about a low number of patronage becoming the new norm,” he said. “My fear is this could lead to it becoming difficult for the town to continue to support the library.”
One resident thought the libraries three person and 30 minute limit for patrons could be a deterrent for people to go.
Gould said given the libraries size, the building is limited to only five people at once and that the library has two employees present, meaning only three patrons can be in the library at a time.
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