Photos by Emma Wulfhorst
Two branches of the Monmouth County Library system reopened their doors Wednesday, July 15 with lots of reminders to wear a face mask and observe social distancing. At the Eastern Branch in Shrewsbury, where curbside pickup is still available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday, patrons were excited to get back to the books, even if it meant limited time spent in the building. During the reopening phase building capacity is limited to 25 percent and customers are asked to keep browsing to a minimum. Use of computers is by appointment only. Staff is required to wear face coverings at all times and plexiglass shields have been installed at the circulation desk as a safety measure. Customers who do not want to enter the building may request items on hold through the online system and call for curbside, contactless pickup when they get to the parking lot during the specified morning hours. Eastern Branch in-person hours are 1 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 1 to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The article originally appeared in the July 16 – 22, 2020 print edition of The Two River Times.
