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By Chris Brown

Home staff coming back to library

Library suspends no-contact pick-up service after staff member tests positive for COVID-19

May 4, 2021 | 2:33 PM

The Medicine Hat Public Library has suspended its no-contact pick-up service due to a positive case of COVID-19 among staff.

The library says the staff member who contracted the virus and their close contacts are currently in isolation.

“Suspending our no-contact pick-up service is not a decision we take lightly, but staff and patron safety is our top priority. We have been operating with the utmost safety during this time so we’re confident that the case will remain among staff. We have minimal staff in our building at any given time and our staff members wear masks and practice physical distancing,” said Ken Feser, chief librarian, in a news release.

The library asks anyone who has books waiting to be picked up to call on or after May 6 to schedule an appointment. Pick-up appointments will then be available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., as long as the province allows the service to continue operating.

“We’ve had a team of staff members operating exclusively from home for the past month,” explains Feser. “After we close the building for a deep cleaning, the ‘home team’ will come to the library to resume the operation of our no-contact pick-up service.”

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Feser believes that because the service they are operating involves no contact between staff and patrons, the risk of transmission to the public is likely low. However, Feser says anyone who visited the library since April 26 should monitor tehmselves for symptoms and limit contact with high-risk individuals. If you have symptoms, isolate immediately and follow AHS guidelines for COVID testing.

Outdoor book drops will remain open for materials to be returned, and the library encourages people to use its online resources.

“We have eBooks, audiobooks, newspapers, magazines, online learning classes, and many other offerings that can be accessed for free with your library card,” says Feser.