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