Elgin Library to reopen next week
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ELGIN library will reopen next week in a trial by Moray Council.
The reopening is being piloted in Elgin and, if there’s a successful response and all safety procedures are operating as expected, Moray Council will look to reopen Buckie, Forres and Keith libraries in the same way in December. Others are expected to open for browsing and PC use during January.
Customers won't have to book an appointment to browse or borrow books when Elgin Library reopens on Monday, November 23, but to ensure safety, they are being asked to keep their visits to no longer than 20 minutes, as numbers inside the library will be capped.
People will be able to use public PCs, reference, local heritage and archive resources – though appointments will be required for these services and are limited to one-hour per session. Appointments can be booked online or by calling the library directly.
Perspex screens will be fitted to lending and enquiry desks to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission, and staff will operate in "bubbles" so that if any member of the library team has to self-isolate, it will not necessarily result in a temporary closure.
Opening hours will be Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 10am-1pm; Tuesday and Thursday between 2-6pm; and Saturday between 10am-noon.
The order-and-collect service will still be available outwith these hours for those who are not ready to come back into libraries.
Moray Council principal librarian Rona Stephen said: "It’s been fantastic to welcome so many library customers back who have been using our order-and-collect service.
"But many clearly miss the physical visit as we’ve regularly been asked when we’ll be opening the doors again.
"We’re now in a position to reopen Elgin Library safely.
"We want to ensure the best, and safest, experience for library customers and once we’re confident everything is working as it should be, we’ll look to reopen our other libraries in a similar vein.
"Thanks to all who have respected the guidelines such as face coverings and social distancing. It’s vital that we continue with these public health measures so that we can minimise the risks of spreading the virus and keep as many of our services open as possible."
