By Rebecca J. Barnabi
For Augusta Free Press
WAYNESBORO — While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt life in 2020, Waynesboro Public Library continues to provide curbside service for patrons.
“Those decisions are all coming from the city, and as of now we don’t have a date set,” said Waynesboro Public Library Director Kevin Osborne of when the library might reopen to the public.
Augusta County Library branches in Fishersville, Weyers Cave, Churchville, Craigsville, Stuarts Draft and Middlebrook are open to the public with reduced hours. Craigsville and Middlebrook are by appointment only, and masks are required to enter all library branches.
Curbside services remain available during library hours for Augusta County’s branches.
Staunton Public Library reopened to the public Sept. 2 for Grab & Go services at reduced hours, and curbside is available by appointment.
Osborne said that he and his staff in Waynesboro are “very excited” about curbside services.
“We’re doing a balance of safety for the public and our staff,” he said.
Patrons can call the library at 540-942-6746 or place items on hold online for curbside pickup between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Augusta County libraries are not open after 4 or 5 p.m. on weekdays, and Staunton’s library closes at 5:30 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays.
“So we’re a good place for people to come when they get out of work,” Osborne said of Waynesboro’s library.
And patrons may request materials from Augusta County’s or Staunton’s libraries for pickup in Waynesboro.
“We miss our families and we miss our [computer] users,” Osborne said. “When everything is safe again we can’t wait for them to come back.”
Circulation is not as high as before the pandemic, Osborne said, but patrons are happy to receive materials at the library’s front doors, and he and staff are happy to hand out materials.
“This is what we feel is best right now,” Osborne said of curbside services.
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Rebecca Barnabi
