Library reopens to the public

The Atlanta Public Library reopened its doors, with restrictions, on May 1 after being closed since Mar. 19.

Governor Greg Abbott announced that Phase I of Reopen Texas would include libraries and guidelines on how to maintain the safety of its staff and the communities they serve. However, they may only operate at 25% capacity. At 10,000 square feet, the library is restricted to 25 patrons at one time.

During Phase I, libraries are to restrict interactive exhibits. When asked about restrictions and new procedures, Library Director Jackie Isenhower, said, “We are providing gloves and facemasks, and we ask that patrons use them. One mistake many people make with gloves is that they wear them everywhere. Gloves are supposed to be used when handling a suspected contaminated object and then discarded. If you just wear them everywhere, you are only using the gloves to spread whatever germs you touch. We do ask that patrons discard the gloves and mask when they leave the library.”

Regarding sanitation procedure, Isenhower added, “When items come in, they are wiped down with a sanitizer and quarantined for a minimum of 24 hours. Studies show that the virus does not survive but about three hours on paper, so we feel that is a safe time. Areas are cleaned with a bleach solution regularly, in accordance with Governor Abbot’s checklist for reopening.”

Isenhower has restricted access to three of the library’s computers to maintain the social-distancing protocol.

The library provides many services to the public. At present and because of COVID-19, those programs are on hold.

“Right now, we are not offering any programming. However, normal programs include a Monday night game night for all ages (cards, dominoes, marbles, etc.), Tuesday quilting, and a monthly book club. Our code club is on break right now. Fridays offer knitting, crocheting, and tatting lessons/circle. We have a Friends of the Library group and a Genealogical Society. We have Third Saturday Learning Series where we just pick a topic and learn/do something. We’ve done gardening, soap making, making a centerpiece with pumpkins and succulents – pretty much any topic we choose, or a patron suggests. We usually offer a summer reading program, but that whole concept will be different this year. We may go virtual, or semi-virtual. We just don’t know right now”, Isenhower wrote.

At last Monday’s city council meeting, City Manager David Cockrell spoke of the importance of the library’s availability during this time.

“The beautiful thing about our library being open […] they are not just a library. They’re the people who will help you get unemployment. Of the social services, they will help you get food stamps. They will help you apply for SNAP. They’ll help you get a job. Our library couldn’t be more important, really, than what it is right now. There are people who cannot do it without assistance. Atlantans helping Atlantans to do that and it’s important that there open.”

Isenhower said that many seek help from the library when applying for financial assistance and employment opportunities because most applications are online, only.

“Many people who need financial assistance need help applying. Most are required to apply or renew online but have no experience with computers. Because of that situation, we end up helping them. All libraries are in existence to provide what their patrons need. In this particular situation, the need is computer access, so libraries provide. Most libraries do not actually help patrons with applications. In fact, we are taught in library school NOT to help because of privacy and liability. However, most librarians are in the profession because they want to fulfill a need. We are in a paradox. Because we are small, we can take more liberties. We choose the humanitarian side. So, we try to help”, Isenhower said.

Isenhower said that she and her staff began working from home on Mar. 30 which proved to be productive.

“I think working from home was very effective”, Isenhower said, “I finished my annual report for the state, looked for library grants, cleaned up my email account, worked on an active grant, created virtual programming, worked in the patron records and deleted old, inactive accounts, renewed overdue items daily so that no patrons got overdue fines, created new bibliographic records, corrected mistakes in the catalog. It was an endless list which, to be honest, we did not finish. What goes on behind the scenes in a library is amazing, and we do it with a consistently shorthanded staff. Of course, we also got to sanitize the entire library and clean up the basement after one of the pumps failed and water got in, to say nothing of the red mud left after the pumps were installed. We gladly clean up the red mud because the city public works guys take care of the pumps for us and save us a lot of money doing it.”

Atlanta Public Library’s new hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. When asked when the library would go back to normal operating hours, Isenhower said that would be determined by the City Council.