Iola Public Library will move into Phase 3 of its planned four-phase COVID reopening plan effective May 1.
The library is returning to normal hours as well, although it will be on summer hours until August. Those hours are 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
The public restrooms have been re-opened.
The meeting room is again available for rent, but with limits on numbers of people, and a minimum of two days between rentals.
Other changes include putting the current issues of magazines back in plastic covers, ending the quarantining of returned materials so that returned items become available sooner, and re-shelving books while the library is open (currently library staff re-shelve books when the library is closed).
Barring an upward trend in COVID cases, the library expects there will be in-person summer programs. These may be either indoors with size limitations and registration required, or outdoors with no size limitations or registration required.
Other things are not yet changing. The library still requires masks and social distancing in Phase 3. The sneezeguards are still in place, so users will still be scanning their own barcodes when checking out. The new books and other materials will remained scattered to four different locations. Curbside service will still be available, and in fact will probably be a permanent service.
