VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Virginia Beach Public Library announces the reopening of five out of its ten branches that have been closed since March due to coronavirus.
Beginning July 20, VBPL will reopen the Bayside, Central, Kempsville, Princess Anne and Wahab Public Law Library locations for limited services including browsing and checking out materials, using computers and printers, applying for library cards and picking up Summer Reading Challenge prizes.
VBPL’s Great Neck, Oceanfront, Pungo-Blackwater and Windsor Woods locations will also open with limited services on August 10.
All dates and services are subject to change as needed in response to COVID-19, VBPL officials say.
VBPL will follow the following guidelines established by the City of Virginia Beach, the State of Virginia and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in order to ensure the safest possible environment for staff and customers:
- Limited numbers of people will be admitted in the libraries at a time, based on building size
- Customers will be asked to keep visits to one hour to maximize access for all residents
- Staff and customers must wear masks inside libraries
- Signs and decals will reiterate CDC guidelines for social distancing and hand washing
- Spaces and furnishings inside the libraries may be unavailable, including the children’s rooms at Kempsville and Princess Anne libraries and the teen room at Central Library
- Aisles and pathways in the buildings may be marked for one-way travel
- Sneeze guards are being added at customer service stations
- Increased cleaning and sanitizing practices are being implemented
Due dates for the 78,000 items that customers had checked out prior to VBPL’s COVID-19 are now due July 20. Customers will receive direct notice from the library with due dates.
