(Above image courtesy Orange County Library System)
ORLANDO | The Orange County Library System (OCLS) is making significant changes to its daily operations post-COVID-19, as it continues its reopening process this week with the opening of some of its physical locations.
As of May 18, the Southeast, Winter Garden, South Trail, North Orange and South Creek libraries have reopened in a limited capacity, according to the OCLS’s official website.
The most immediate change taking effect is that library goers and staff members are now required to wear face coverings when in the library. When it comes to checking out material(s) from the library, service is now “grab-and-go”, according to the OCLS website. This means that any materials requested by customers will be retrieved and delivered by library staff.
“No lingering or browsing the stacks [is] allowed during this time,” the OCLS website states.
The checkout process may also not run as swiftly as library goers are accustomed to. Once materials are returned to the library, they immediately undergo a 72-hour quarantine before being placed back in the library system. This process may result in a “a longer than usual wait time,” according to the website.
For library goers interested in maintaining social distancing, these individuals can choose contactless self-checkout to limit their interaction with others while in the library. They can also use the cloudLibrary app to access their library’s collection of digital content.
“When people request materials [for contactless self-checkout], they will speak to a librarian through plexiglass [and] the librarian will retrieve the materials for the customer while wearing rubber gloves,” OCLS Marketing Specialist Scottie Campbell said.
Events and classes offered by Orange County libraries have been transferred to the virtual realm, with library staff streaming events and classes to customers through third-party apps. These virtual events range in topics from storytelling for children to Adobe Photoshop and language-speaking classes. Customers can register for events using the OCLS website calendar.
The technology provided by these libraries has also been modified, with computer stations now spaced 6 feet apart and limited to one hour of use, according to the website. Additionally, the resources provided by the Orlando Public Library’s Melrose Center – which include an audio production studio, video production studio and two editing bays – will remain unavailable until an effective sanitation process can be created for these spaces.
“Because of the intimate nature of the equipment used … and the delicacy [of] a lot of the equipment, it calls for special consideration for sterilizing,” Campbell said. “That team is working hard to explore options and acquire the supplies necessary.”
The disruption to everyday life caused by the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t curbed the reading appetites of Orange County readers. Since the pandemic, there has been a 39% increase in user engagement across OCLS social media accounts and a 38% increase in the number of messages received by OCLS, according to statistics compiled by OCLS Digital Media Specialist Cynthia Velasco.
As a tool, Campbell views reading as essential to living in an “age of information overload” that has been magnified by the pandemic.
“Reading is key to discerning fact from fiction, a skill necessary in navigating the web,” he said.
Campbell also sees the empathy and escapism provided by reading as holding an emotional value for readers during such an uncertain time.
“There is also the comfort of our shared humanity that we can find in books, whether fiction or non-fiction,” he said. “You need only crack open one of these things to escape your stay-at-home life; that’s magical.”
Other Orange County libraries such as the Alafaya, Eatonville, West Oaks and Windemere libraries will reopen on May 26, while the Orlando Public Library is set to reopen on June 1.
For more specific information on library operations, please visit the OCLS official website at OCLS.info.
