Closed since March, both the Poirier and City Centre branches will be accepting a limited number of visitors as part first phase
Gary McKenna/ Tri-City News
Book lovers in Coquitlam will have greater access to their favourite reading material when the public library re-opens next week.
Starting Monday, both the City Centre and Poirier branches will open their doors to visitors, however, new safety precautions will be in place to avoid the transmission of COVID-19.
“This is the new normal that I expect to last until 2021,” said Todd Gnissios, the executive director of the Coquitlam Public Library. “We will continue to add services over the next months as we work to implement safe work practices for both our staff and our customers.”
A limited number of visitors will be allowed in the facilities at any given time and there will be separate entrance and exit points, one-way aisles and new screens to separate patrons from staff.
Masks are encouraged, hand sanitizer will be available and staff will be ensuring regular surface cleanings throughout the day. Any returned items will be quarantined for three days before being lent out again.
Customers are also being asked to limit their visits to no longer than one hour, while meeting rooms and study areas are closed and hard copy newspapers and magazines will be unavailable.
The hours of operation are also being changed as part of the first phase of re-opening.
Both branches will now be available between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. On Sundays, the City Centre branch will open between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., while Poirier will be open from noon to 4 p.m.
For more information, go to coqlibrary.ca/reopening, email ask@coqlibrary.ca or call 604-554-7323.