Greenwich Library Offering No-Contact Pickup

GREENWICH, CT — After closing its doors to the public in March due to the coronavirus, Greenwich Library has taken its first step toward resuming in-person services by offering a non-contact pick up option for library materials.

According to an announcement, residents can place holds on books and other materials in the library catalog. They will then receive an email notification with a link to a form to choose the date and time for pickup. (To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

Guests who arrive at the library are asked to remain in their car, call the appropriate location phone number and wait for staff instructions. Staff will then place items on a cart by the library's front doors.

"The safety of our patrons and staff is our top priority," Library Director Barbara Ormerod-Glynn said in a statement, "so we have planned the logistics of this service very carefully and deliberately in consultation with the Library Board of Trustees, town officials and other Fairfield County libraries. We have missed seeing everyone at the library over the last few months, and although the library closed its doors in March, staff has continued to purchase new books. They are now focused on getting nearly 2,000 items ready for you to check out, starting on June 15."

Pickup will be available at the main library Monday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pickup will also be available at the Byram Shubert Library Monday-Wednesday and Friday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well as Thursday from 12 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Pick up at the Cos Cob Library will be available from 12 p.m. to 7a.m. on Monday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

"For your safety, please be sure to observe all social distancing rules during pick up," the announcement reads. "Staff will take extensive safety precautions when they locate and prepare items for pick up."

Though book drops will also be open at all three library locations, residents are asked not to rush to return library materials.

"With over 32,000 items out in the community, it will take time for staff to safely collect, quarantine and sort these items," the announcement reads.

All due dates are extended until July 1, and all returned items will be held in quarantine for three days before being placed back on shelves, the library said. As a result, materials will remain on a guest's library account until they are checked in by staff on the fourth day.

No fines will accrue during this time.

Though library buildings are still closed to the public, staff will continue to offer assistance by phone. Guests can also still access an extensive digital library and take part in a number of virtual programs planned for the month of June.

Further information on this system and various virtual programs can be found at greenwichlibrary.org.

Patch has reached out to Greenwich Library for further information.