North Shore libraries offer new services as reopening progresses

As libraries on the North Shore slowly reopen, it is becoming possible for them to add more traditional services to the virtual programs that have become prevalent in the past few months. With caution and creativity, these libraries are taking steps to continue offering their popular summer programs and reach their communities in new ways.

Oyster Bay-East Norwich Library

The Oyster Bay-East Norwich Library is now open to a limited number of patrons from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays. The library is also open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

Social distancing will be in place, and some services, like copiers and courtesy charging stations, will not be available. Due to their success over the past few months, virtual programs will continue as well, library director Michele Vaccarelli said.

“I think there’s a positive to both going into the future,” she said. “I mean, this could be a whole new way of offering services for people. Once we’re allowed to, maybe we’ll have some programs in the building and some virtual programs as well.”

Bayville Free Library

Bayville Free Library is also implementing curbside pickup, available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Ashley Birbal, the library’s head of services and assistant director, said that the timeline for reopening is still up in the air, so virtual developments have been a major focus. For example, a live chat feature was recently added to the library’s website, and weekly Zoom programs have been popular with teens.

“We’re just trying to do a bunch of different things to help our community reach us,” Birbal said.

Glen Cove Library

Glen Cove Library has continued to offer a plethora of services online, but they have also recently implemented “library take-out.” According to the library’s website, this curbside pickup service is available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Patrons can call the library or visit the website to request items, and once the items are ready, an appointment will be scheduled to pick the order up outside. Currently, all other programs on the Glen Cove Library’s website and summer calendar are virtual.

Sea Cliff Village Library

At the Sea Cliff Village Library, the ability to offer some services outside has opened up new opportunities. Items can be returned to the library’s book drop, and curbside pickup will soon be available, said Camille Purcell, the library’s executive director.

“People can call or email the library with titles that they would like,” Purcell said. “We then grab the materials off the shelf, check them out under the patron’s name, put them in a Sea Cliff Village Library bag and set up an appointment time for them to come and pick up their materials.”

For children in kindergarten through fifth grade, the library recently started a children’s summer reading program using the same methods as curbside pickup. Each week, Ann DiPietro, the children’s library coordinator, selects four or five books for each age group and puts them in bags for parents to pick up during the time slot for their child’s age group. These bags also feature prizes and cards for families to rate the books and mail back to the library.

Purcell also said that the library has gotten clearance to hold half-hour Storytime programs for children at Sea Cliff Beach. To ensure that only a safe amount of people are in attendance, participants must sign up beforehand.

“We don’t anticipate having people in the library for quite some time, but this is very fluid,” Purcell said. “We’re very mindful of trying to keep numbers down and keep everyone as safe as we can, from our patrons to our staff.”