News Release NP Public Library
While the North Platte Public Library remains closed to walk-in traffic and public usage, the Library will be re-opening its Book Drop beginning 8:00 AM Thursday, April 9, 2020. Yesterday, the Library received permission from the West Central District Health Department, Jim Hawks, City Administrator and Mayor Dwight Livingston to begin accepting library materials from those patrons who wish to return their items. Upon the return of these items, they will be put through a 72-hour quarantine process.
The Book Drop will only be open while library staff are in the building: Monday-Friday 8 AM-5 PM, beginning on Thursday, April 9, 2020. Other than during these newly established time periods, the book-drop will remain locked. It should be noted that this is the opposite of normal business operations and that the library remains closed to the public until further notice.
JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN RETURN YOUR BOOKS, DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE TO RETURN THEM IMMEDIATELY. If you are unable to return or choose not to for your own health and safety, please continue to hang on to them until this crisis has passed. Once the Coronavirus Situation has subsided and the North Platte Public Library reopens, please return library materials at that time. The library supports your decision to be safe and to protect your health during this crisis. While library fines assessed prior to March 1, 2020, will remain on a library borrower’s account, NO ADDITIONAL FINES will be assessed from March 1, 2020, until after the Library reopens to the public for normal business. Library material due dates continue to be pushed into the future.
DO NOT RETURN LIBRARY MATERIALS IF YOU ARE SICK. If you are sick—STAY HOME. For the health of library staff and the well-being of your family, wash your hands before returning library materials and wash your hands again when you return home. The book drop “handle” will be periodically wiped down throughout the day with a disinfectant.
DO NOT RETURN ITEMS IN REUSABLE PLASTIC OR FABRIC SACKS.
RETURNED ITEMS MUST BE PLACED INSIDE THE LIBRARY’S BOOK DROP - located next to the Library’s front door. Do NOT leave library materials outside the library.
MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING WHEN RETURNING ITEMS. Only one person should return library materials to the library at a time. WAIT IN YOUR CAR if another library patron is also returning items. IF you get out of your car to stand in line to return your materials—MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING by standing behind the red painted line every 6’ on the pavement in order to maintain a safe distance from each other. IF SOCIAL DISTANCING is not observed, the book drop will go back to a locked/closed status.