The Saranac Lake Free Library is very happy to announce that we will begin limited hours of “In-Person Browsing” browsing of books, audio books and DVDs at the library starting Tuesday, Sept. 29. The staff at the SLFL missed you all very much, and we are excited to see our patrons inside the library once again.

Since June 9, the SLFL has been offering “Walk-Up Service” to our patrons. Now the SLFL is introducing a hybrid schedule to accommodate all of our patrons and users. In-Person Browsing at the library will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Walk-Up Service will continue from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The SLFL will remain closed on Sundays and Mondays at this time.

The SLFL will not be operating as we did in February 2020. In-Person Browsing will be restricted to books, audio books and DVDs. There is also a limited number of patrons that can be allowed inside the building at any one time. Along with the staff, an additional six individuals will be allowed inside the children’s room with an additional 12 individuals browsing the other book, audio book and DVD collections.

All individuals entering the SLFL must wear a mask or face shield. All individuals will be instructed to use hand sanitizer or wear disposable gloves upon entering the main section of the building. If you need a mask or gloves, we have some available for you. We are asking that all patrons and users also continue to use social distancing while at the SLFL.

At this time all of the lower floors of the library will remain closed. All meeting and tutoring rooms will remain closed. No public restrooms will be available. The public access computers and the SLFL OPAC computer will not be available. The Adirondack Research Room is available via phone or email only.

The main Reading Room and access to all newspapers will remain closed at this time.

We at the SLFL we are excited to be reopening our doors to our patrons once again. With “Choose & Checkout,” we are asking that our patrons make a selection and then check out their books within a 10- to 15-minute time frame. We love having you back in the building. But at this time it still important that we all remain prudent and that we limit the amount of time individuals are actually inside the SLFL. If you handle a book, audiobook or DVD and decide that you do not want to check it out, please deposit the item in one of the strategically located “Deposit Here” bins.

All of our electronic services are still available 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.

We are so pleased to have you back, we want to see you inside the library once again. But unfortunately, this is not a time to catch up or linger. We’re asking that you Choose & Checkout or use the Walk Up Service. At some point in the future we will once again be operating the SLFL as we have in the past. Until that time, know that the SLFL has never stopped providing reading material and information to the members of our community and that we will continue to do so in as many ways as possible as we all reopen together.

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Peter Benson is director of the Saranac Lake Free Library.