34 | JUNE 25 • 2020 

M

etro Detroit libraries 
are taking important 
steps in welcoming 
back their loyal customers as 
Michigan begins to reopen after 
months of quarantine due to 
COVID-19. 
The Jewish News reached out 
to seven Detroit-area libraries, 
seeking details on how they 
dealt with the pandemic, their 
new rules and reopening guide-
lines and what services they’
re 
currently able to provide. 
Carol Mueller, the direc-
tor of Bloomfield Township 
Public Library, told the JN that 
the library closed completely 
on March 14 except for book 
returns, which were open for 
another week, and only essen-
tial staff were allowed in the 
building. 
Starting June 16, the library 
unveiled a brand new service, 
curbside pick-up, which means 
patrons can call or reserve items 
through the library’
s catalog 
online, and those items will be 

pulled off the shelves, checked 
out to them and made available 
curbside at the library, Mueller 
said.
Curbside pick-up is a tool 
many libraries are implement-
ing. The West Bloomfield 
Township Public Library 
(WBTPL) began the service on 
June 8, according to Director 
Clara Bohrer.
“
All of our services are revolv-
ing around curbside pick-up,
” 
Bohrer said. “We’
ve also opened 
all the exterior book drops so 
everybody can bring back the 
materials they’
ve been holding 
onto since March when we 
closed, and we’
re forgiving all 
fines.
”
Anne Hage, director of the 
Huntington Woods Public 
Library, said the library is tenta-
tively opening on June 29, with 
special accommodations for the 
vulnerable. 
“We’
re offering services for 
people over 60, people who 
are pregnant and those with 

pre-existing conditions to come 
in on Mondays and Thursdays, 
10 a.m. to noon, without other 
people in the building,
” Hage 
said. 
Many libraries may have to 
figure out new ways of con-
necting with their community 
because of the pandemic, and 
Karen White-Owens, director 
of the Oak Park Public Library, 
thinks a call service would be a 
good idea for library/customer 
relations. 
“If we have a second wave of 
this, we can do wellness calls to 
check on our patrons, to make 
sure they’
re OK and if there’
s 
something we can get them or 
help them with.
”
The Oak Park Public Library 
opened with only curbside 
services June 22, with hours of 
operation between 10 a.m. and 
5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Carrie Ralston, director of 
the Walled Lake City Library 
(WLCL), thinks the forced shift 
of focusing more on online 

business because of the pan-
demic could be a permanent 
one. 
“It’
s really interesting how 
we’
ve adapted to online pro-
gramming,
” Ralston said. “We 
knew we couldn’
t do it in 
person, so we would just share 
across all our social media. I 
feel like we’
re going to continue 
doing that even after we’
re able 
to have people back.
”
WLCL began curbside pick-
up Tuesday through Thursdays 
starting June 16.
The Jewish News was not able 
to make contact with Southfield 
Public Library or Farmington 
Community Library staff mem-
bers, but both posted updates 
on their websites. 
On June 9, the Southfield 
Public Library posted, “We 
are glad that Gov. Whitmer’
s 
latest executive order states 
that libraries may reopen … 
however, there is much work to 
be done before the library can 
reopen safely for the public and 
the staff.
“We are in the process of 
finalizing a phased reopening 
protocol that will include guide-
lines for appropriate distancing, 
usage of PPE, preparing the 
building and quarantining 
returned materials for 72 hours,
” 
the statement continued. 
Farmington Community 
Library (FCL) had a similar 
statement, also mentioning that 
returns will be accepted starting 
June 25 and that all items must 
be returned via the outdoor 
building chutes. Items currently 
checked out are not due back 
until July 31, so there is no rush 
to return materials. Contactless 
curbside pick-up for FCL starts 
July 6. 
For all library hours, guide-
lines and updates, visit each 
library’
s respective website. 

Going to
 the Library

Area libraries are beginning the reopening process.

DANNY SCHWARTZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The West Bloomfield 
Township Public 
Library drive-thru 
exchange. 

DANNY SCHWARTZ

Arts&Life

books

