Winchester, VA (May 14, 2020) – Handley Regional Library System is ready for patrons to return their borrowed items to the library starting Monday, May 18th. The outside book returns at Bowman Library, Handley Library, and Clarke County Library will be unlocked as the library system continues with several stages to open the physical library buildings to the public. In this stage, book drops will be emptied several times each day and returned items will be quarantined and sanitized before returning to the shelves for the next check-out. No late fees will be charged to patron accounts while the book returns and buildings were closed to the public. Library buildings will continue to be closed to the public during this stage.
“This step will surely take us several weeks to complete as we are expecting thousands of items to be returned, processed, and sanitized,” says John Huddy, Director of Handley Regional Library System. “Our public opening process will have to occur through several stages as we monitor COVID-19 situations and protect the health and safety of our staff and patrons. The staff and Library Board are working hard behind the scenes – and so are libraries across the nation – as we figure out how to implement curbside pick-up of materials, new building procedures and area accessibility, limited physical service availability, book sales, additional sanitizing and deep cleaning – and more – while following State and Federal regulations.”
More information will be posted on their website at www.handleyregional.org and on social media at @handleyregional as it becomes available.