2 - How will patrons pick up their books?
If your school has reopened and students are attending classes, you could deliver books to the classrooms or have classes come to the library one at a time.
If the school isn’t opening, or to further reduce contact, you might require your patrons to schedule days and times to pick up their materials. Let them know if they should be coming into the library or waiting at the curb.
You’ll also need to decide if you are checking books out to patrons before passing the books out, or letting patrons use self-service stations to check out their own books.
3 - Will patrons be permitted to renew books on their own?
On one hand, more materials may be in more demand. On the other hand, there is no benefit to keeping books on the shelves if no one is around to browse. Remember also that the additional steps for both you and your patrons makes it difficult to handle shorter checkout times, so you may consider increasing your loan periods and/or allowing more renewals.
4 - How will patrons drop off their books?
You can schedule dropoffs as well as pickups. Or let patrons drop items in a bookdrop bin, switch out the bins at the end of the day, and let the bins sit in quarantine until they are safe to be handled according to your school’s policies.
5 - How do I move forward with my plans?
Alexandria has you covered for whichever method you choose. Take a look at our
Remote Checkout article for our recommendations. You may want to print the article and cross out the steps as you go.
Things may be different this year, but don’t forget the standard
Beginning-of-Year Procedures for your Alexandria library.
(Are you still on version 6? We've got the same old
v6 Beginning-of-Year Procedures article for you. And now’s a great time to
switch to 7!)
See also our
Library Guide for Reopening for more ways to safely keep your library running, and make sure to
enable holds!
Read about what some other libraries are doing!
Creative Ways: Local library continues services despite pandemic
Librarians, visitors adapt to new practices for checking out materials
Pasadena Public Library Offers Curbside Pickup Service
3 Comments
How are you handling books in quarantine? How do you keep books from showing available for holds when in quarantine???
I would love to see if we can add something that says that the book is in quarantine after we check in the book. Can we add a field – not available? Sick? We need to check books in, but then not have them available. Thank you.
Hi Jennifer,
I have taken the change circulation-type route. After check-in, view today’s check-ins, copy to Excel or Google sheets, delete all but barcodes, global change circulation type. I made 6 days of circulation type Quarantine that is hidden, doesn’t how when students search. After quarantine global back to regular. Far less handling of the books than other recommended procedures I’ve seen. I have a Word doc on how-to if you’d like to try.
Email thenry@robla.k12.ca.us
Good Luck and Stay Safe!
Theresa