NEW UPDATE: East Riding Libraries and Customer Services set to reopen

Following the government announcement last week, East Riding of Yorkshire Council has issued updates about the first phase of the reopening of its libraries, mobile libraries, and Customer Service Centres.

To ensure the safety of customers and staff, the facilities will look very different to the service provided before lockdown. Social distancing guidelines and safety will guide the way in which these services will operate.

During the closure period, deep cleaning has been carried out and after reopening, regular cleaning will take place throughout the day at all locations.

Toilets will not be available at any of these sites in the initial phase of re-opening.

Customer Services

In the first phase of reopening, which starts on Monday, 6 July,  it will only be possible to visit the sites to talk to a customer advisor by appointment and only for services which cannot be completed via the council website www.eastriding.gov.uk  or by telephone on 01482 393939. To make an appointment, call 01482 393939.

More telephone staff are now available to enable more enquiries to be dealt with in the safest way possible and minimising face to face contact, by reducing the need for customers to visit a site – please call 01482 393939 for assistance.

A queueing system will be in operation outside each site.

Caddy liners will be available to pick up near the entrance to the centres.

The availability of enquiry desks will be restricted to ensure adequate distancing between customers. Cleaning materials will be provided at all the enquiry desks in use.

Customer Service Centres will try to offer the normal opening hours but this may be subject to change.

Visit the website https://www.eastriding.gov.uk/council/contact-the-council/customer-services/  for further details, including opening hours and information on the new ways that services are being offered.

In order for these facilities to open safely, customers are asked :

Please adhere to social distancing at all times and follow guidelines as displayed on posters
Customer Services will operate on a cashless basis wherever possible
Please provide any documents in electronic format wherever possible
If you have an appointment at a centre, please only arrive at the allotted time. Please come unaccompanied unless you need a carer with you.

Library Buildings

From Monday, 6 July, in this initial phase of opening, for customer and staff safety, customers will only be able to drop off borrowed items and collect pre-ordered items. It will not be possible to browse books or just to drop in to the library.

The thousands of items that were on library shelves at the start of lockdown have all been cleaned by site staff.

A queueing system will be in operation outside the site.

Customers returning items will place them directly into a special sack and books will be quarantined for 72hours before being cleaned and put back on the shelves by staff.

In the first phase of reopening, it will only be possible to borrow items via an order and collect service, details of which will be announced on the website www.eastridinglibraries.co.uk  by Friday, 3 July, 2020.

Overdue fines have not been applied during the lockdown period, and are suspended until further notice.

Browsing for books will be gradually reintroduced in later phases of the reopening, in line with government guidance.

Newspapers will not be available.

When the public access PCs are made available again, this will be by appointment and for essential needs only.

Library staff will try to offer the normal opening hours but this may be subject to change.

Visit https://www.eastridinglibraries.co.uk/  for further details including opening hours and for information on the extensive e book range available and other library news.

In order for these facilities to open safely, customers are asked :

Please adhere to social distancing at all times and follow guidelines as displayed on posters
The library service will operate on a cashless basis.

Mobile Libraries

The thousands of stock items that were on the shelves at the start of lockdown have all been cleaned.

In the first phase of reopening, it will only be possible to borrow items by an order and collect service.  To help comply with social distancing guidelines, customers will not be able to board the library vehicle or use the public access PC.

Once books have been ordered, staff will contact the customer and arrange a collection appointment. Customers are advised that books will only be available to collect at the allotted appointment time, and that there may be queues.   

Customers returning items will be asked to place them directly into a marked box and books will be quarantined for 72 hours before being cleaned and made available for the next customer.

Overdue fines have not been applied during the lockdown period and are suspended until further notice.

The mobile library service will reopen initially with two weekly deliveries at the busiest stops and during normal hours.  Customers will be contacted by text, email or telephone to discuss the new opening hours and the order and collect service. 

For more information or to sign up for the text message notification service, email mobile.library@eastriding.gov.uk

Alternatively, visit www.eastridinglibraries.co.uk/  for further details including opening hours, how to make an online reservation and for information on the extensive e book range and other library news.

In order to open these facilities safely, customers are asked:

Please adhere to social distancing at all times and follow guidelines as displayed on posters
Order and collect : once you have been given a slot please only arrive at the allotted time
Please return books in a bag in readiness to be quarantined.

Councillor Shaun Horton, portfolio holder for tourism, culture and leisure , said: “These further reopenings are great news, and I know they will prove popular after such a long closure period, albeit with the necessary restrictions and changes.

“The changes we have made are in place to enable us to reopen safely, and are in line with government advice and regulations for the benefit of keeping our customers and staff as safe as possible. They are, of course, subject to change according to the latest government advice.

“We look forward very much to welcoming our customers back safely very soon!”