According to a recent release from the Kansas City Public Library, the Library is taking its first step in reopening by allowing patrons to pick up holds at selected locations beginning next week. 

The new “Pop In/Pick Up” services will start Tuesday, May 19, at the Central, Plaza, Lucile H. Bluford, Waldo, and Trails West branches and will be available Tuesdays through Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Library plans to extend this service to its remaining branches – North-East, Southeast, Sugar Creek, Ruiz, and Westport – the first week of June. All locations have been closed since mid-March as part of the effort to curb the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

The Pop In/Pick Up process is contact-free. Patrons can select the operating locations where they would like to pick up their holds, and will be notified when the books and other items become available. 

Patrons are asked to call when they arrive at the pickup location and remain in their cars while staff members check out the materials, bundle and tag them with each patron’s last name, last four digits of their Library card number, and pick up date. Items are placed on a table in the Library’s lobby area.

Patrons are then allowed into the Library one at a time to retrieve their items and return to their car. 

Staff members are undergoing training on enhanced safety measures including sanitizing techniques, proper handling of Library materials, and social distancing so all locations are following Mayor Lucas’ 10-10-10 rule.

Joel Jones, the Library’s deputy director for library services, notes patrons could see some initial delay in the availability of holds while the staff works through requests submitted over the past eight weeks. Holds that were ready for pickup when the Library closed will be among those available for immediate pickup. The new cleaning and safety procedures for materials could also impact wait times, though the Library has attempted to minimize potential delays by ordering numerous copies of popular new items and titles.

For more information, visit kclibrary.org.