DONEGAL County Council Library Service has announced a phased re-opening of their libraries as part of the Government’s Roadmap to re-opening society and business.
Libraries in Letterkenny, Stranorlar, Buncrana, Bundoran and Gaoth Dobhair have opened their doors to allow library members to return items and to borrow further items.
Access to other services such as internet access, photocopying, WIFI, study and research facilities will be introduced in the coming weeks.
Library patrons should be aware that their visit to the library will be a little different than that of pre-covid times.
In order to keep everyone safe there will be controlled access to buildings with a queue management system in place, where visitors must adhere to the current social distancing rules.
Members will be asked to keep their visit to a maximum of 15 minutes. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Libraries will be offering hours for vulnerable members of the community from 2-4pm and we ask that non vulnerable members of the community visit outside these hours.
Sanitisation stations will be available throughout the libraries and members of the public will be asked to follow all safety protocols.
It is important to highlight that library members will need to bring their library card with them to borrow items through the self-service system.
Speaking about the re-opening, Divisional Manager, Eileen Burgess said: “We are delighted to be welcoming the public back into our libraries albeit in a very different set up.
“Libraries are very much the community hub in the towns they serve and library staff know their members have missed them over the last few months.
“The health and wellbeing of our staff and patrons are of the utmost importance, and we needed to ensure that adequate safety protocols were in place before we could open those doors.
“As part of the gradual re-opening of libraries, library staff are working on providing services in the other locations and when safety protocols are in place and when resources allow, we will open the doors in those libraries also.”
Library members are reminded that are online services, where you can borrow Ebooks and Emagazines, are still available at www.donegallibrary.ie.
Library opening hours are available on the website also.
Ms Burgess added: “Libraries have always been trusted spaces, integrated into the local community and accessible to all.
“We have adapted to this new environment and have lots of engaging programmes over the next few months, as we work to extend library services as far as possible.”
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