LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — On June 8th, libraries could reopen across the state. Lexington Public Library is taking a slow and steady approach to keep people safe and healthy.
"We actually haven't gotten any guidelines from the state about what reopening our public libraries are going to look like, so we're kind of doing it on a local level," said Development Director Anne Donworth. "We've worked with our health department and with city officials. That's part of the reason we are starting slowly."
For now, only the Eastside branch off Palumbo Drive is open for curbside pickup. You can reserve items online or over the phone and pick them up Monday through Friday from 12:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Donworth says they hope to expand pickup service to other branches soon, but they want to see how everything works out first.
Library users are asked to continue holding onto returns for now. There will be no fines for overdue items.
Since libraries offer much more than books, being closed to the public leaves many without access to things like public WiFi. The library system is working with Lexington Parks and Recreation to establish public hotspots around the city.
"We have left all of our WiFi on in all of our buildings, so anybody can get it in any of our parking lots," said Donworth. "We're working with Parks and Recreation right now to place ten different WiFi hotspots around the city. I don't know what the locations for those are going to be yet, but again the idea is to give people access to the internet connection."
A spokesperson with Parks and Recreation says they're looking at areas people can easily access, like community centers and other public spots.
Also, the Lexington Public Library's popular summer reading program has been moved online. You can learn more information on its website or its Facebook page.
