Southwest Public Libraries (SPL) will be offering expanded no-contact services and hours beginning July 6. In addition to no-contact pickup and returns which began in May, limited contactless printing, copying, scanning, and faxing will now also be available.
Expanded hours for these services will be:
• Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Wednesday and Thursday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Beginning July 6, participants in SPL’s virtual Summer Reading Challenge (SRC) may also call to schedule a contactless pickup of their halfway or final prize. SRC continues through July 25. Raffle winners will be chosen July 27 and contacted directly.
Library buildings remain closed at this time due to continued safety risks.
SPL began a phased reopening in May with library services to be reintroduced gradually, contingent upon pandemic developments and official guidelines. The library has been actively modifying building layouts and practices and instituting new protocols in preparation for reopening doors; however, with Franklin County currently under a Level 3 Public Health Emergency, approaching Level 4, reopening is delayed. Level 4 is the highest alert level under Governor Mike DeWine’s new Public Health Advisory Alert System, marking severe coronavirus exposure and spread and limiting travel to essential services only.
“We are doing our best to serve our patrons while continuing to be responsible,” said Mark Shaw, director of SPL. “Like our patrons, we are eager to reopen our doors, but doing so while cases spike risks the safety of our patrons, staff, and community. We will continue to closely monitor developments and adjust our plans accordingly.”
Under the new expanded hours and services, patrons can:
• Continue to reserve items for scheduled contactless pickup
• Return items during service hours via the outdoor bookdrops or bins
• Call for details on printing, copying, scanning, and faxing: Grove City Library 614-875-6716, Westland Area Library 614-878-1301.
More info is available at swpl.org where patrons can also continue to access digital eBooks, eAudiobooks, streaming music and movies, and learning resources. Patrons are invited to continue enjoying virtual programming via the library’s Facebook page.
Southwest Public Libraries serves southwest Franklin county and surrounding areas through its two branches, Grove City Library and Westland Area Library. The library system provides access to millions of items through a consortium partnership with 17 central Ohio libraries and offers an array of services including public PCs, meeting rooms, and vibrant programs for all ages.
