Readers can now check out and return books without stepping foot inside the Gwinnett County Public Library branches, as it reverted to using curbside pick-up due to the COVID-19 surge.
The branches will remain closed off to the public until further notice, but customers may request library books and other materials online or by phone. Library staff members will meet customers at their branch’s main entrance to deliver their orders from a contact-free table, according to a news release. The change took effect on Jan. 11.
As of Jan. 11, Gwinnett had 57,288 confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. From Jan. 2-8, there were 4,676 reported cases, while 4,223 were reported the prior week.
“We know that the pandemic has affected our lives in a very unexpected way,” library Executive Director Charles Pace said in a news release. “This decision has been carefully considered. Our priority has always been the safety and security of our customers and staff. Our desire is to continue providing our services to the community in the safest and most effective way possible. We understand that our curbside and digital services are critical to the community as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times.”
The library now holds books for up to 10 days, and its digital services are still available to the public. The Dacula and Norcross branch locations are continuing free drive-through food and meal distribution on Tuesdays until May, and the Buford branch continues to offer its passport service by appointment.
The Gwinnett County Public Library initially closed in March 2020 and reopened in June, closing again only one month later. In September, it reopened its doors to the public with a mask requirement.
Online library resources, as well as the curbside pick-up system, are available at www.gwinnettpl.org.
