The Monroe County Public Library’s main and Ellettsville branches will reopen for browsing and computer use Monday.
The library moved to a curbside pick-up model for checking out materials in May. This service will be replaced with traditional window service – where people can drive, walk, or bike up to the window to collect materials if they want to avoid going inside.
Mandy Hussey is the communications and marketing manager for MCPL. She says library visits won’t look the same as they did before the pandemic.
"The social component that people really know and love about libraries is what is going to be mainly missing," she says. "We’ll be open for browsing. We’ll have a lot of reinforcements in terms of safeties and barriers.”
Hussey says people’s visits will be limited to one hour. The main library in Bloomington and the Ellettsville branch will have capacities of 100 people and 40 people, respectively.
She adds that larger spaces at the main library such as the ground floor and teen space will remain closed.
The MCPL branches will also not be starting with full hours that were held before the pandemic. The library will be open Monday to Thursday from 11 am to 7 pm. On Fridays and Saturdays the hours will be 11 am to 6 pm. On Sundays, the branches will be open noon to 5 pm.
The first hour everyday will be reserved for high-risk patrons.
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