Emma Clark Library Has Begun Phased Re-Opening Plan and Overdue Fines Are Eliminated Permanently

Setauket, NY – June 5, 2020 –

The staff of Emma Clark Library is back in the beautiful 1892 building, preparing for safety and social distancing measures. The building had been closed as per Governor Cuomo’s executive order, but all at the Library are pleased to be able to start a phased reopening of the physical services, in addition to the online services that were always offered and new virtual classes and programs that the Library started providing during quarantine.

This week, library employees have returned to the building for Stage 1 of the Library’s re-opening plan. During Stage 1, only staff are permitted in the building, but patrons may begin returning items in the Book Drop. The Library is thrilled to announce that the Board of Trustees voted recently to permanently eliminate overdue fines on most items. This includes items that patrons had during quarantine, as well as all overdue fines going forward. The Library will be fine-free for all materials (with the exception of video games, Museum Passes, Playaway Launchpads, and Library of Things items).

When can you start borrowing physical materials again? Contactless “front door” pick-up is scheduled to begin on Monday, June 15, which is Stage 2 of the plan.  After patrons receive a notification from the Library that their items are ready for pickup, they can go online (see emmaclark.org for detailed instructions) or call the Library at 631.941.4080 to make a reservation for a specific day and time to pick up their items at the Library’s front door. The packages will be discretely wrapped, and patrons may simply pick up the bundle with their name on it. During this time of front door pick-up, only staff will be permitted inside the building.

Returned items will be quarantined for 72 hours before being checked-in and re-shelved. The borrowed materials may not come off the patron’s record immediately, but with no overdue fines, that should not be an issue.

For Stage 3 of the plan, which will begin on or about Monday, June 29, the building will open to the public. There will be some modification of facilities and no public events or gatherings, in order to maintain social distancing measures.

Each of these stages is subject to change and will depend on the status of the area metrics and guidelines from the Center for Disease Control, Suffolk County, and New York State. For more information on the phased re-opening plan and the most updated library news, the public is advised to continue to monitor the Library’s social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) and website at emmaclark.org.

All at the Library are looking forward to welcoming the community to the building soon. The Library will also continue to offer their regular online resources, as well as the new virtual classes and events. The Board and staff would like to thank Three Village residents in advance for their patience and support during this process.

 

The Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, located at 120 Main Street in Setauket and online at emmaclark.org, provides public library service to all residents of the Three Village Central School District.

“The Heart of the Three Village Community”