Buildings reopening June 1
At Botetourt County Libraries, we’re beyond excited to announce that we will reopen our buildings to the public on Tuesday, June 1. Our service hours at all locations will be the same as our current curbside hours: Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (10 a.m.-8 p.m. at Blue Ridge); Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Since our reopening date was announced, we’ve been busy preparing our buildings for people again. Of course, the pandemic isn’t over, so we’re also adapting our buildings with safety in mind. In addition, we’re finishing up some exciting projects that will make our collections easier to navigate and use. Let’s take a look at some changes you can expect compared with your pre-pandemic experience.
First, some of the furniture will have moved (or temporarily disappeared) to accommodate social distancing, especially computer stations and study tables. You may also find that comfy seating and children’s toys are temporarily unavailable. The seating changes at some branches have resulted in a more open, spacious feel. Well, the public areas look nice. Our meeting rooms are serving as temporary storage and project locations, so they’re a little crowded! Consequently, our meeting rooms are not yet open for public reservations.
Every branch has reorganized its materials collection in new ways. The children’s picture books are now separated into topics so they’re easier to browse. Some collections have flipped so they read A-to-Z instead of Z-to-A. You may also find that some sections have moved to new locations. But don’t worry, new signage on the ends of our shelves ensure that materials are still easy to find. When you come in, ask our staff for some pointers on what has changed in the past year.
Where possible, we’ve also tried to give our branches a facelift. The Blue Ridge branch received the biggest makeover with new paint, carpet, murals in the children’s room, and a reorganized computer/seating section in the center of the library. Before you enter the Fincastle branch, look up and you’ll see a new façade above the entrance to replace the old sections. All branches have tweaked their interior design a bit to make the space both user-friendly and pandemic-safe. As you’ve likely seen at local businesses, each branch’s front desk is surrounded by a transparent screen for everyone’s safety.
Library staff will disinfect and clean high-touch areas throughout each day. We request that anyone over 5 years old who is not vaccinated or only partially vaccinated wear a face covering, but fully vaccinated patrons can opt out. In addition, please maintain social distancing with both other patrons and library staff. All contactless services, including curbside, will continue as a safe alternative to in-building services. We will also offer some small-group, outdoor events for children during our Summer Learning Challenge soon!
Other than these adaptations, you’ll be able to browse our shelves, work on computers and meet with tutors. Don’t forget that we’ll be closed on Saturday, May 29 and Monday, May 31 for Memorial Day. We look forward to seeing you inside our buildings soon!
~ Julie Phillips
Library Director
