Heights Libraries Prepare For Partial Reopening

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — The Heights Libraries are preparing for a partial reopening. The Lee Road branch will begin offering three services starting May 18: curbside holds pick-ups, phone reference and homebound delivery. Other libraries will begin partial openings in June.

"While these limited services are taking place, library staff will be in the library system’s four branches (Coventry Village, Lee Road, Noble Neighborhood, and University Heights), getting the buildings ready for a partial reopening that will allow a limited number of customers to access services in the buildings’ lobbies: new hold pick-ups, obtaining tax forms, and using copier and fax machines," a library system spokesperson said.

Lobby service at the Heights Libraries will begin June 2 at Lee Road branch and June 9 at Coventry, Noble and University Heights branches. There will be no public restroom use available at the libraries and customers must wear face masks to gain entry to the building.

The lobbies will be open:

• Tuesday to Thursday, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.,
• Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
• Senior-only hours from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday

“Our staff will soon be busy in our buildings getting ready to welcome back a small number of customers at a time,” said Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin. “We are removing furniture, putting up plexiglass safeguards in front of service desks, and rearranging our lobbies to ensure customers and staff can interact safely at a proper social distance of six feet. Staff will also be busy cleaning the buildings, both before and after customers come in.”

Curbside Pick-Ups and Other May Services

The Lee Road branch is currently the only branch offering curbside pick-ups. Heights Libraries patrons can request a hold on a book or other material and then pickup the item from the Lee Road branch.

Initially, the service will only be available to:

• Customers who had holds on items prior to the library system's closure on March 13, and
• Customers who want to order and pick up items currently available at the Lee Road branch (all orders must be placed by phone at 216-932-3600)

Customers who had holds at any library branch will do pick-up at Lee Road.

The drive-thru service will run from May 18 through May 22 and May 26 through May 29 (but the library will not be open on Memorial Day). Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday through Friday.

To take part in the service,

1. Customers will need to call and confirm their hold is ready
2. Write down the assigned order number which a staff member gives you during your phone call
3. Write your order number legibly on a large piece of paper. Place that paper in your windshield, so library staff can see it. Cars without these order numbers will not admitted.
4. Enter the Lee Road parking lot from Dellwood and exit onto Ormond

"If your trunk will not open, or if you have a van, the holds will be placed on a table and you will exit your vehicle and pick them up from the table," the library system said in a statement. "If you do not have a car, please call 216-932-3600 and a pick-up arrangement can be made."

Customers can also begin using phone reference services on May 18. Patrons can call the libraries between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. from Monday through Friday. Homebound delivery, which was suspended after the closing on March 13, will also start again on May 18.

The book return will also be open for use from Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Although we are not ready to completely reopen, we are looking forward to seeing customers in the lobby in June and getting used to this ‘new normal’,” said Levin. “We will be following the Governor’s Responsible Restart Ohio Guidelines and complying with public health recommendations to keep staff and customers safe. We will continue to monitor the news and recommendations from the governor’s office throughout this process.”