SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KGTV) - The San Diego Public Library is on the road to reopening.
Tuesday, eleven locations have reopened, but only for people who placed holds prior to the closure that started in March. Those items can now be picked up with a contact-free system where the person calls when they arrive at the location, then a librarian puts the books on a table outside for the person to pick up.
Starting next week, people can put new holds on items. Director Misty Jones said they’ll reopen more after that depending on county orders and plans to keep books virus-free. The future of the libraries will depend on some unknown’s, including how the library can help the school system, what studies reveal about how long the virus can live on items and more.
“We adapt to the way that people need the service from us and we’ll adapt and we’ll pivot and we’ll be able to offer that incredible customer service like we always have,” said Jones.
The eleven locations currently open as of May 26 are Carmel Valley, College-Rolando, La Jolla/Riford, Logan Heights, Mira Mesa, Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox, Mission Valley, Point Loma/Hervey, Rancho Bernardo, San Ysidro and Valencia Park/Malcolm X. These locations are open 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The libraries have adapted with coronavirus, creating online programs like virtual story time, ebooks and audiobooks and online book clubs. Jones said this has been a good substitute.
“Even though our doors aren’t open and we’re not letting people actually come into the library, it’s the first phase in getting back to those services again,” said Jones.
