The Kenton County Public Library announced it will reopen to the public Monday, for the first time since Gov. Andy Beshear ordered libraries to close on March 13 over coronavirus concerns.
Although visitors will be once more allowed inside the library, executive director Dave Schroeder said visits to the library may still look a little different.
To start, hours will be different. The library will be open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It will be closed on Sundays. The first hour of each weekday is reserved for patrons 60 years old and older and those who are of a higher risk to COVID-19.
"When we open, we will have greeters at the door making sure to answer any questions you may have," he said in a press release. "All our staff will also be wearing masks and you will see hand sanitizing stations located throughout the buildings. We have also installed sneeze guards at our service desks and staff will be cleaning the public areas routinely throughout the day. Our staff has been working diligently since the closure on updating our procedures to ensure that everyone who visits is as safe and comfortable as possible."
The library plans to limit the amount of people allowed in the building at any given time and services like meeting room rentals will still be unavailable.
Visitors will be able to take advantage of contactless book checkout as well, by using an app that allows patrons to scan the books they would like to check out.
"We know that not everyone is comfortable as it relates to their health in this current climate," said Schroeder in the press release. "We learned that we had an option to allow the Library’s app to have a self-scanning function and thought it was appropriate that we provide that option to our patrons."
The library's app is free and available in the app store. The app does not support DVD, CD or video game checkout, however -- those must still be checked out by staff members.
The library is also offering one hour of computer use, copy, scan and fax services and "grab and go browsing."
