Library will open for browsing

After a letter-writing and social media campaign, the Douglas County Public Library will open to browsing next week.

Trustees voted to open the Minden branch four days a week 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday starting on Feb. 11.

The library closed on Dec. 8 after a sudden surge of the coronavirus in Douglas County brought positive numbers from the low 30s to hundreds.

In addition to the Minden branch, the Lake Tahoe branch will open the same hours Tuesdays and Thursdays and the BookMobile will be on the road Wednesdays and Fridays.

Entrance into the library will be limited to 25 percent capacity under the current coronavirus requirements and patrons will be required to wear masks and social distance.

None of the trustees said the library shouldn’t open, but there was debate on how open it should be.

Rather than throwing the doors open wide, Trustee Elizabeth Tattersall suggested a reduced schedule.

“It’s reasonable to start with partial opening at this time,” she said. “There is extra labor in disinfecting. When open for browsing you need to keep track of how many people are in the building. There are more tasks that need to be done than in previous years.”

Trustee Heather Martin Maier said she was willing to negotiate down from six days a week, but that three was too few.

“I don’t feel it’s providing a robust service to the community,” she said.

Trustee Bonnie Rogers said she was concerned that if the library wasn’t open people might not see it as essential.

“There is a broader interest in the community,” she said.

Neither the Washoe nor Carson City public libraries are open for public browsing.