Plainfield Library to Begin Contactless Curbside Pickup

Staff members of the Plainfield Public Library District have finalized a phased reopening plan that aligns with Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan, and they will be offering Curbside Pickup beginning June 1.

“We are committed to keeping our patrons and staff safe, and we believe we can offer Curbside Pickup safely to our community at this time,” said Library Director Lisa Pappas.

Safety precautions include not allowing any public into the building, requiring staff members to utilize social distancing inside the building, providing staff with PPE, regular deep cleanings of the building and quarantining returned library materials for a minimum of 72 hours.

The library’s full reopening plans can be viewed on its website.

“We know many members of the Plainfield community are anxious to come back to the library. Although we would love to throw our doors open and welcome everyone in, the health and wellness of our community comes first,” said Pappas. “We believe Curbside Pickup is a great compromise.”

The Curbside Pickup process is easy to use. Plainfield Library cardholders reserve items online through the library’s catalog at www.plainfieldpubliclibrary.org, and staff members collect the items from the shelves. Once the patron receives a notification that the items are ready, he or she drives to the library, parks in one of the designated Curbside Pickup parking spaces on the north side of the building and calls 815.327.2525 to notify staff. Library staff members bring the items out for contactless delivery through an open window or trunk.

Curbside Pickup at the Plainfield Library, which is located in downtown Plainfield at 15025 S. Illinois St., will be available Monday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The library has also resumed home delivery for those who are physically unable to leave their homes. To see if a Plainfield Library cardholder qualifies for contactless home delivery, patrons can email Home Delivery Coordinator Judi Deszcz or call 815.582.7696.

“We’ve provided home delivery for our seniors and new parents for many years, but this community service is even more important now,” said Pappas.

Knowing that many Plainfield residents have encountered financial hardships as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, the library has eliminated overdue fines for books, CDs, DVDs, video games and audiobooks through Aug. 31.

Members of the Plainfield community are encouraged to regularly visit the library’s website at www.plainfieldpubliclibrary.org for updated information about resources and upcoming programs.

“We have a whole slate of virtual programs planned for the summer. We know Plainfield families rely on the library to help keep their kids busy while school is out. We aren’t going to stop doing that just because our building isn’t open to the public,” said Pappas.

“As our mission says, ‘We strive to educate, inform, entertain and culturally enrich our community.’ We are determined to make that happen.”