Post Eagle Newspaper

Friday

Oct 11, 2024

67°F, clear sky
New Jersey

Time Now

12:00:00

Ocean County Library Welcomes
Patrons Back July 6th

TOMS RIVER, NJ Thank you Ocean County Library customers for your continued patience and support during this extraordinary time. As you miss the library, we miss you as well! We are excited to share with you our plans for reopening the library.

As you may be aware, the Governor recently permitted libraries the ability to reopen at 25% capacity beginning July 2nd. We have developed a phased reopening plan to provide service in the safest way possible. As we prepare to welcome you back, here is what you can expect:

· Returns: We will open book drops at all OCL locations beginning Monday, June 29th. All materials returned will be quarantined for the recommended length of time set by public health officials, after which they will be checked in and added back to our collection. Overdue fines will not accrue on materials during this time.

· Hours of Operation: Beginning Monday, July 6th we will open our doors with limited hours and services.

Toms River, Barnegat, Berkeley, Brick, Jackson, Lacey, Lakewood, Little Egg Harbor, Long Beach Island, Manchester, Plumsted, Point Boro, Stafford and Upper  Shores branches will be open:
Monday through Thursday 10 am – 2 pm, and 3 pm to 7pm
Friday and Saturday 10 am – 2 pm 

Bay Head, Beachwood, Island Heights, Point Beach, Tuckerton, Waretown and Whiting branches will be open:
Monday 10 am – 2 pm, and 3 pm – 7 pm
Tuesday through Saturday 10 am – 2 pm

· Pick-up of Materials: Beginning on Monday, July 6th contactless pickup of materials will be available, using our self-pick up holds and our self-check kiosks. Please remember to bring your library card to use the kiosks. Additionally, short-term browsing will be allowed; we ask that you are mindful of those wishing to use the library and limit your time spent in our libraries due to the limited 25% capacity.

· Access to Computers: We will provide access to public PCs by appointment. Due to the limited number of PCs available to provide social distancing, computer use will be reduced to one half hour per day. We encourage you to take advantage of our mobile printing service so your library visit is as streamlined as possible.

· Public Spaces: Seating will be limited to allow for social distancing. At this time, our meeting rooms and quiet study areas will be utilized for the quarantining of materials. All in-person programs and events are suspended.

All customers will be required to wear face masks and to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

In the coming weeks, we look forward to sharing more details and announcing exact dates on when we will resume our full complement of services. In the meantime, please continue to engage with us virtually through our website, which provides access to online resources, streaming movies, ebooks, and audio ebooks 24/7.

For more information, visit www.theoceancountylibrary.org.