Baltimore County Public Library will begin a phased reopening of its branches starting next week as staff prepare for library patrons to drop off thousands of borrowed books and other items.
Staff will return to library buildings on Monday to process 8,000 new books and resources for users, gather 58,000 items that customers have placed on hold and prepare for patrons to drop off more than 400,000 borrowed items.
Starting at noon on Tuesday, library patrons can drop off books outside of library branches 24 hours per day.
Once returned, all library materials will be quarantined for 72 hours in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Then, library staff will check in those materials and prepare them to be recirculated.
The library will waive any fines that patrons may have accumulated as long as they return their borrowed materials by Aug. 31.
Starting June 22, customers will be able to take advantage of the library’s contact-less curbside pickup service for item holds, with drive-up and walk-up options. This service will be offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
The Loch Raven and Reisterstown branches are closed for renovation.
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. praised library staff for adapting during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Our libraries provide invaluable resources and services to our communities, and they have continued to do so virtually since the beginning of this pandemic,” Olszewski said. “I’m grateful to the hard-working staff at all of our branches as they begin to gradually offer greater accessibility to their resources.”
Baltimore County Public Library Director Paula Miller said the library system wants to serve the community’s needs while also protecting their well-being.
“We are delighted to be taking these next steps to make the library more available to the citizens of Baltimore County” Miller said. “We are a vital part of the community and want to provide as many resources and services as possible while keeping our customers and staff safe and healthy.”
All Baltimore County libraries closed to the public in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, but have continued providing services online.
Over the past three months, the library system has issued 2,332 new library cards, recorded a 43 percent increase in YouTube views and received 388,000 downloads of virtual materials, Miller said.
Branches will reopen to the public with limited indoor services after the library system fully implements social distancing measures and other modifications to protect patrons and staff, according to a news release.
Residents can access high-speed internet at 10 branches by using external Wi-Fi at those locations.
Those locations include:
- Catonsville Branch, 1100 Frederick Road
- Essex Branch, 1110 Eastern Blvd.
- Hereford Branch, 16940 York Road
- Lansdowne Branch, 500 Third Ave.
- North Point Branch, 1716 Merritt Blvd., Dundalk
- Randallstown Branch, 8604 Liberty Road
- Rosedale Branch, 6105 Kenwood Ave.
- Towson Branch, 320 York Road
- White Marsh Branch, 8133 Sandpiper Circle
- Woodlawn Branch, 1811 Woodlawn Drive
Baltimore County Public Library will be upgrading Wi-Fi service at the remaining branches by mid-July.
