June 4, 2020 — As businesses, churches, and political activism start up again, local libraries are also making a cautious comeback. This month, people in the outlying parts of the county can expect to see the bookmobile again, though Karen Horner, director of the Cultural Services Agency, says there will probably be a reduced number of stops and longer stays at each one. This week and next week, the bookmobile is only delivering items that were ordered before the shutdown, and Horner expects to have a plan in place for a schedule by next week. Though the enjoyment of the bookmobile is in browsing the small enclosed space, that won’t be possible during the pandemic.
A few more changes are coming this month, including the ability to return the items that may have accumulated in the homes of local bibliophiles.
Melissa Eleftherion Carr is the branch manager at the Ukiah library, which, before the shutdown, was the spot for introverts to socialize. About 600 patrons a day used to drift in to browse, use the computers, or participate in readings, maker space events, book club meetings, and art exhibits. All that came to an abrupt halt, along with just about everything else, in the middle of March. Last month, libraries started offering curbside pickup, which means patrons can order up to five items per week, but only from their local branch. Like everything else in the midst of a pandemic, it’s a little more complicated than it used to be.