After four long months, the Clarion Free Library is open, sort of.
“We are open but not fully open,” library director Ian Snyder said Monday. “It is a balance between what we can practically do and providing people with the most services possible.
“Overall the reaction from the people has been positive,” said Snyder. “They have been very understanding about the restrictions that are in place.”
“We had people who did not have computer access who needed to file for unemployment benefits,” said Snyder.
“We still are doing curbside,” he said. “People can come in if they choose but they can’t access the stacks.”
The shelves, or stacks, of books remain off limits to visitors.
Snyder said some libraries will allow patrons to browse through the books, but the books are then placed in quarantine for three days.
Patrons can browse the library’s collection online and come to the library to check out a book.
Snyder said the library’s restroom is open if needed. The bathroom has to be cleaned after every use.
“My biggest fear is that if a staff member gets sick they will have to quarantine for 14 days,” Snyder said. “If it is one or two people the library can continue to operate. If it gets to four or five people then we can’t operate.”
Since there will be no group meetings, summer reading activities will be found on the library’s website and Facebook page. Children’s weekly grab and go activity bags are available for pickup.
Many of the fundraising activities have been canceled.
“I was not comfortable going out to the people for money when so many of them have been worried about their job,” Snyder said. “The other big fund-raiser is Autumn Leaf Festival. Usually we set up tables but there is no way we can have people that close together. Instead we are going to have our annual appeal to try and recapture some of that lost income,” he added.
“There are several grant programs or low interest loan programs out there but you have to be careful because one might preclude you from getting another,” said Snyder.
“We did receive a low interest loan so we were able to pay the staff while we were closed. Hopefully we meet all the requirements for loan forgiveness,” he said.
The library’s hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 to 6 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.