Culture Perth and Kinross is to reopen the doors of library buildings across Perth and Kinross and welcome back its customers.
Following the Scottish Government announcement on lockdown easing, preparations are underway to reintroduce some of the region’s libraries on a phased basis.
From the 11th of May, the AK Bell Library, Breadalbane Community Library, Aberfeldy, Auchterarder Library, Blairgowrie Library, and Scone Library will reopen for visitors to borrow and return books. Strathearn Community Library, Crieff and Loch Leven Community Library, Kinross will reopen from Friday, 14th May.
Also from the 11th May, the popular mobile library service, now in its 100th year, will once again be hitting the road and visiting local communities across Perth and Kinross.
Opening hours of individual libraries and Mobile Library timetables can be found on the Culture Perth and Kinross website.
To ensure the libraries provide a safe environment for visitors social distancing guidance and hand sanitising units will be available. Books will continue to be quarantined for 72 hours when they are returned before they are added back into circulation. Customers will be required to wear a mask for their visit and provide information for Test and Protect purposes.
A welcome return for many visitors to the AK Bell Library will be the reopening of the popular Café Culture. The café will welcome back customers for the first time in over twelve months and will be open 10am – 3pm Tuesday to Saturday.
Access to public access computers will once again be available, as will printing, scanning, photocopying and study facilities. Study facilities must be booked in advance by contacting individual libraries from their reopening date and details of how to do this can be found on the website.
The regions five digital Maker_Spaces will also be open at the AK Bell Library, Blairgowrie Library, Breadalbane Community Library, Loch Leven Community Library and Strathearn Community Library. Access to each Maker_Space is free for library members and can be booked at the individual library from their reopening date.
As yet, no date has been set for the reopening of Alyth, Birnam, Comrie, Coupar Angus and Pitlochry Library however, these communities will be served in the meantime, by the mobile library service, where customers can drop off and collect book reservations.
The fines amnesty remains in place until the end of May, and customers who still have books or are unable to return books to any of the open libraries from 11 May, should get in touch on 01738 444949.
For library users who prefer to stay at home, Culture Perth and Kinross Libraries will continue to provide access to thousands of eBooks, eAudiobooks and eMagazines, via the award-winning Libby app from OverDrive Libraries.
While visitors to libraries won’t be able to access any physical newspapers or magazines, they will be able to access digital magazines and newspapers from around the world online with PressReader.
The Local and Family History Department and the Perth and Kinross Archive at the AK Bell Library will be reopening to the public from 12th May 2021 on an appointment-only basis. More information is available on the website.
Helen Smout, chief executive of Culture Perth and Kinross said “We can’t wait to see our customers once more. I know how much people have been missing their books and I’m so pleased that we are able to deliver a more comprehensive library offer than previously, bringing services to communities across Perth and Kinross. To ensure access to some form of our service is possible across the region, our teams have been working hard to ensure that we open the doors to an increased number of libraries and reintroduce Mobile Library services all at the same time.”
Culture Perth and Kinross Libraries begin reopening on 11th May 2021. Full details are available at www.culturepk.org.uk/backtolibraries