From the Director:

As you know, the Yarmouth Town Libraries have been closed to the public since March 16 due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. While our buildings have been closed, our staff is working hard to provide services during this challenging time.

You may have checked out an ebook, or contacted us for assistance over the phone or email. We are delighted to offer these virtual services, and we also are working hard on a Recovery and Resiliency Plan to support us in reopening our facilities.

Planning for Re-Opening 

This Recovery and Resiliency Plan will guide us as the pandemic evolves and we are allowed to begin providing in-person services. We will follow the lead of state and local government and health officials, and anticipate that a phased approach to re-opening is the best option. 

While state and local resources have informed our plan, we also will consider the information that will come out of a recently announced partnership between the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Battelle (nonprofit applied science and technology in Columbus, OH), and OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) to explore and share information on how to handle materials, training, and cleaning in support of safely reopening and sustaining operations under a COVID-19 reality.
 
A phased approach is needed to address capacity issues and to stay flexible, depending on whether the pandemic abates or flares up again.

Curbside Service  

We are reviewing the provision of curbside pickup at both West Yarmouth and South Yarmouth Library locations. Safety considerations, most notably how long the virus lives on various surfaces including library materials, must be considered.
 
As the pandemic continues to run its course, we are working to determine options for opening our buildings for use by the public. Just as Governor Baker speaks about the need for a physical distancing plan before reopening restaurants, stores and other public places, we also are working on a plan for how to achieve physical distancing in our library buildings.
 
However, while physical distancing recommendations are in place, we must come up with realistic ways to keep physical distancing as a priority. When we begin to reopen our facilities, this too, will happen in stages. Hours may need to be adjusted in order to allow time for cleaning and sanitizing for the benefit of both our community members and staff. We may need to limit each visitor’s time in the building to keep everyone safe, as well as limit the number of people we can allow in to our facilities.

Meetings, Events, and Programs

We know that community members of all ages like to attend and participate in activities that we host at our locations, from story times to talks with award-winning authors. These activities will also be phased back in as restrictions are lifted on the maximum size of public gatherings.
 
In-person activities that involve smaller groups, such as book clubs, may be restarted sooner than large events. We intend to continue offering links to online programs and reading activities as we move forward, in part because of the need for physical distancing but also because you have told us you enjoy them. We are working on virtual programming now, to try to bring back this enrichment to our lives.

Ready for What Lies Ahead

Determining when we bring back the in-person library services depends on many variables that are beyond our control. The plan we are working on acknowledges that and builds in flexibility so that we will be able to respond to whatever may occur. We must respond to the community in stages and in different, innovative ways, and remember that the safety of our community members and staff will remain our priority. 
  
We plan to share a summary of the major elements of the plan with the public when it is finalized and use it to guide our decision-making regarding reopening our facilities. In the meantime, I encourage you to continue to use our virtual resources and services and we thank you for your support, patience and resiliency. Call the Library (South Yarmouth Library at 508-760-4820 and West Yarmouth Library at 508-775-5206 any time you have a question or need more information – and one of us will get back to you as soon as possible. You can also call or text a temporary number we have set up to reach librarians at home: 508-258-9496. We will get through this together. 

-Jane Cain 
Library Director