Expanded Hours for In-Branch Services

 

Beginning the week of July 26, FCPL will expand its hours open to the public:

Sunday            1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Monday           9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Tuesday          1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Wednesday     9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Thursday         1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Friday              10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Saturday         10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

We are pleased to be able to add more hours in time for the new school year, as we expect that students will continue to want to access the library during a variety of times, including afternoons, evenings, and weekends.

We also want to provide more opportunities for patrons to visit the libraries every day of the week. We hope that more convenient hours will allow patrons who are able to visit the library to retrieve their materials themselves.  We will continue to offer curbside pickup for patrons at higher risk for severe illness and those with personal circumstances that make coming inside the libraries difficult.  We will promote Mailbox Books in case some patrons currently using curbside services qualify for the delivery service.

Curbside pickup hours may be concentrated on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, but we will also offer slots throughout the week as needed.  These times will vary per branch based on patron demand and staff availability. A set schedule will not be published on the website, giving each branch flexibility in establishing curbside pickup hours that work best. When patrons click on the web link for curbside services, they will be taken to the scheduling page and can choose from the days and times available for their preferred branch.

In preparation for expanding our open hours, we will discontinue chat service effective July 24^th.  Chat was a great service to add when we were seeking to provide alternatives to in-person service and we had staff hours available because the libraries were closed.  As expected, usage has decreased as in-person and phone services have increased.  We still have an average of 6 patrons per hour using chat and originally intended to continue the service.  However, we have found that it is difficult to staff, as we need at least one dedicated person assigned to that service when it is live.

Other aspects of our phased reopening remain the same:

·         Virtual programs will continue to replace in-person programs for the foreseeable future

·         We will continue use of masks, gloves, and social distancing
·         Heightened attention to cleaning and sanitizing will continue
·         We will continue to quarantine returned materials for three days
·         Placement of seating, tables, and computer areas will continue to promote social distancing and discourage gathering

The expanded hours will be announced to the public after the July 20 Library Board meeting.

Thank you all for your continued patience, dedication, and commitment to providing outstanding service to our patrons and each other. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.