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