CARLINVILLE - The Carlinville Public Library begins offering limited services next week as part of a carefully-planned reopening that will continue in phases for the next several weeks.

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The library has been closed since March 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Curbside service will begin on Monday, June 1 and is expected to continue through June 14. The library building itself will remain closed to the public, and no other services will be provided at this time.Library staff members will follow guidelines recommended by the CDC to handle materials, including the use of gloves and face masks.

To use curbside service, patrons may place holds online, by e-mail, or by calling the library at 217-854-3505 during business hours, which are also reduced for the time being.

The library is now open 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Friday, and 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. The first half-hour of each day is reserved for senior citizens and individuals with health risks.Holds may be placed only on materials in the Carlinville library’s collection, as interlibrary loan service is not expected to resume until late June. Only items that have been previously requested are available through curbside service.

Curbside-delivery will be no-contact. All requested materials will be placed in a bag for delivery, and a library staff member will call the patron to set up a time for pick-up. The staff member will ask for the make and model of the vehicle being used for pick-up.

The patron will call the library when he or she arrives at the main entrance, and will stay in the vehicle. If the vehicle has a trunk release, the bagged items may be placed in the trunk, or if the vehicle has electric windows, the items may be placed in an unoccupied back seat.

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If neither option is available, the bagged items will be placed on a table next to the planter in front of the library, where the patron may retrieve the bag for a no-contact delivery.

Patrons should not attempt to pick up their requested items until they are notified by the library. Items will be held for pickup for three days. If the items are requested through the Online Public Access Catalog, the library staff will notify the patron when they are available, and to schedule a pick-up time.

Items may be returned through the curbside service, or through the library book drop. DVDs and CDs, however, should not be placed in the book drop, and may be returned either by curbside or when the library building partially re-opens on June 15.

No fines or fees will be paid during curbside service, to minimize contact between staff and patrons. Fines and fees were not assessed during the library’s closure.

On June 15, the library building is expected to re-open on a limited basis, but patrons will be permitted only in the lobby and at the front desk. Curbside service will continue, and the first half-hour of each day will still be reserved for seniors and individuals with health risks. The hours of operation will be the same as June 1-14.

No more than five patrons will be allowed in the building that time, and all patrons will be required to wear a face covering, observe social distancing, and use hand sanitizer. Patrons will be asked not to enter the building if they have been feeling ill, or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.

The library anticipates that regular hours will resume on June 22, but patrons will be asked to minimize their time in the library, and no seating, toys, newspapers, or puzzles will be offered.

Anyone with questions is encouraged to call the library, or visit the library’s website at www.carlinvillelibrary.org.

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