Dannevirke library back in business after Covid-19 closure

Library assistants Amiria Bristowe and Alice Leadbetter are back behind the counter at the Dannevirke Library and are happy to see the return of members.

Dannevirke Library has quietly reopened its doors, much to the relief of many of its members.

Library assistant Alice Leadbetter said the decision was made to have a "soft" opening to test the conditions put in place under Covid-19 alert level 2.

Library patrons are greeted at the door and are asked to supply their name and phone number and have 20 minutes to make their book selections.

Twenty people are allowed into the library at one time.

Leadbetter said the system was working well and there had been a steady flow of people through the doors.

Apart from book borrowing, the library is also offering DVDs, magazines and puzzles.

"We are not offering use of our Chromebooks which people use for gaming, writing CVs or whatever else as the 20-minute time limit is not long enough for that."

She said most people were just pleased to pick up some new reading material.

"We've had a lot of people say they had run out of things to read, they had reread everything they had."

Leadbetter said some library visitors had concerns over hygiene issues but she said all books were placed in the outside return slot and were then quarantined for 48 hours.

Library staff worked from home during level 4 but were back in the library at level 3, although the doors weren't open to the public.

Library programmes such as Little Ears storytelling, YOLO, the young adults reading group, the knitting group and the Stepping Up computer classes won't be happening until alert level 1.