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Date: 7/15/2020
HILLTOWNS – Now that public libraries are permitted to open by the state, several libraries in area hilltowns are following the strict guidelines and preparing to open by appointment during limited hours.
Porter Memorial Library in Blandford
Blandford’s Porter Memorial Library’s Director Nicole Daviau said the Board of Trustees has voted, and they are awaiting the approval of the Board of Health to open what Daviau is calling “Book the Library,” scheduled 15-minute browsing appointments per person or family beginning on August 3.
Daviau said the opening will be based on the availability of cleaning products, personal protective equipment and the numbers and trends of COVID-19 in the surrounding area. She said the Massachusetts Library System has been providing guidelines statewide for the reopening of libraries.
“We will be following those guidelines to ensure the safety of our patrons as well,” Daviau said. Guidelines include screening workers, requiring masks, practicing social distancing, and providing hand sanitizer to patrons when they enter and leave. Any item that a patron touches that they don’t take will be quarantined for 24 hours before reshelving.
Although Porter Memorial Library has been closed to the public since the shutdown began in mid-March, Daviau said they have continued to actively serve the community.
“We’ve recently acquired hundreds of new books. We’ve been busy ordering and processing new books and DVDs in preparation for patrons to return,” Daviau said. She said they used the time they have been closed to purchase, acquire and process the new materials, which are advertised on their Facebook page. “Because we had more time, we had more time to put into that process,” she said.
The library has also been providing curbside service since mid-May. She said while it started slowly, “huge, massive, massive amounts of people turn out for curbside service. We’ve served between eight and 17 patrons every day. We’ve had just as many people utilizing our curbside service as we have in normal foot traffic as of late,” Daviau said.
In addition to ordering books through curbside service, the library has been providing laptops for people to use outside, taking advantage of the free WiFi and new outdoor seating they just purchased. Patrons may call in advance during open hours, Monday through Friday, and reserve one of three chromebooks available for the public to use.
Curbside printing services are also offered by logging into the WiFi from a printer or smartphone during library open hours (Monday to Friday 2 to 6 p.m.), and calling 848-2853 to pick up printed pages in an envelope in the pickup bin. Fax, copy, or scan services may also be arranged.
Blandford’s summer reading program for children began on June 20. Daviau said 19 children have participated every week since the start, receiving a packet linked to an online story read by library staff, craft materials and a craft tutorial. Week three was “The Chinese Water Dragon,” based on a Chinese legend, with a Chinese water dragon puppet as the craft project.
“I feel like we’ve been listening to the community’s needs and responding to the best of our ability and trying to find creative solutions during these difficult times,” she said.
Daviau said she is excited to have patrons return to the building. “We’re so excited to open. The people are the heart of the library. A library without people is just a room with books,” she said.
Hamilton Memorial Library in Chester
Equally excited to open is Hamilton Memorial Library in Chester’s Director Angelique Toroni. Starting Aug. 3, the library will be open one day a week on an appointment only basis. Patrons can call to book 15-minute browsing sessions.
Toroni said they wanted to wait until they had everything in place before opening. She said they still need to get plexiglass for the circulation desks. They have PPE, and have put tape down inside and outside of the interior doors, where patrons now wait for curbside pickup. They also have hand sanitizer dispensaries installed outside the doors for patrons to sanitize their hands before entering the building. Masks will also be required.
For the children, they will have bags for check out that include crafts and several books to read in place of their summer reading program. They will also have virtual programs on the Hamilton Memorial Library Facebook page.
“People in Chester are being really supportive. A lot of people don’t have internet and don’t have Facebook. When this hit, we’re not one of the libraries that has everything online. Our thing is one on one, talking with patrons, and developing relationships,” Toroni said.
Toroni said she saw firsthand the importance of the personal relationship residents have with the library when one lady started crying. “She said the library is all she has. To some people, it’s everything,” Toroni said.
Toroni said the guidance from the state is specific to libraries, and there is also an email system including all of the libraries. “We can see what other people are doing, other struggles they are having,” she said.
The Hamilton Public Library has been offering curbside pickup since the end of May. Toroni leaves the books that are returned into the drop box for a few days, then picks them up and puts them into another box, where they are wiped down and left for a few more days before reshelving. She said how clean the books are is a concern for some people. She is also wiping books off that haven’t been borrowed.
One of the services that is not up and running yet statewide is Intra-Library borrowing, and there has not yet been an indication when that may start again. “We do a lot through that. We can get books from anywhere,” Toroni said.
However, the library just started the Libby Audiobook program. Residents can get a library card if they don’t have one, and sign in with the fourteen digit number to listen to audiobooks on their smartphone, Kindle or computer.
Toroni has found other new resources for the library during the shutdown, including a healing library section for children. She said she is in the process of completing several different packages that families can check out to help children with difficult situations, such as a death of a pet, a death of a family member, separation and divorce, or a family member that has Alzheimer’s.
The packages have books about these subjects, plus information from child psychologists to help parents to their children about what is happening. There are also ideas on crafts, such as creating a tag or bracelet for a lost pet. “It’s really wonderfully healing for children. They’re all geared for parents to help a child along,” Toroni said.
Toroni, who also works for the Huntington Police Department and formerly worked for their Fire Department, said there she was exposed to sensory backpacks for Autism which are given to ambulance services and fire departments to help children during an emergency. Hamilton Library received two backpacks, which also come with headphones.
Toroni said she took the idea, and ordered some items from Amazon to create more.“Say you’re going on a road trip, and have an Autistic child. The kit includes three books, one for a parent to read aloud, earphones for noise, and sensory activities for the children.”
She has just put them together, and will be promoting their availability on the Hamilton Memorial Library Facebook page. “People can call up and reserve it, and pick it up curbside,” Toroni said.
Toroni, who began as library director in January, said in the two months she was there before the shutdown, she had just begun offering classes. She offered an American Sign Language Class, then had patrons check out sign language books. Eleven people came to the class, which is “great for Chester,” she said. There were also crafts for Valentine’s Day, and her daughter was going to give ukulele lessons, which had to be cancelled along with a planned Helen Keller workshop, both of which she hopes to reschedule.
“I absolutely love my job and am always trying to think outside the box. We look forward to the day when we are able to open our doors and see the faces of our patrons,” Toroni said.
Montgomery and Tolland
Grace Hall Memorial Library in Montgomery has announced open hours for scheduling 15-minute appointments on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on Saturdays until 12:30 p.m.
The Tolland Public Library has announced limited hours for the public for now: Wednesday 3 -6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. -12 p.m.
One car load of patrons may enter at a time, under the assumption that everyone riding in a car together will already share exposure. Upon arrival at the Library, patrons are asked to call 258-4201 and leave their name and cell number. They will be placed on a list in order of arrival and called when it is their turn to enter the Library. Anyone entering the Library must wear a face covering, or request curbside service. Patrons are also asked to use hand sanitizer prior to browsing the shelves.
There will be a designated place to return items so they may be sanitized.
The restroom and the kitchen area are for emergency purposes only. Please plan accordingly.
“Don’t forget to bring your patience and a sense of humor. You may enter without them but they would be most appreciated, Look forward to seeing everyone,” read the post from Tolland.