All five Highland County District Library locations will reopen Monday, March 1 with their normal hours, although curbside service will remain an option for those that may not feel comfortable entering an enclosed area.
All current health and safety guidelines will be in place for those entering the buildings, Highland County District Library Director Suzanne Roberts said.
The Highland County District Library has a central location in Hillsboro, with branches in Greenfield, Lynchburg, Leesburg and on North Shore Drive in the Rocky Fork Lake area.
The libraries have been mostly closed to the public since curbside service began on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020.
Roberts said all library services will be offered at all five locations.
”However, the library meeting rooms will continue to be closed for community use, as they are used to quarantine and clean returned library materials,” she said.
Services provided at the locations include printing, copying, faxing, computer use, browsing, checking materials in and out, and virtual and limited in-person programming.
While their doors were closed, the county’s libraries provided curbside pick-up; printing, copying, faxing via curbside; homework appointments; laptop use from cars; computer appointments; virtual programming; and online browsing requests.
”Everyone at the library is very excited and eager to see our patrons inside once again. We have missed their presence and appreciate their support, Roberts said.
Monday is the right time to reopen, Roberts said, because the trends in total COVID-19 cases per capita, new cases, hospitalization rates, ICU occupancy and emergency department visits have been trending down for several weeks and are predicted to continue to improve, per statistics from the Highland County Health Department and Ohio Department of Health.
”With our county doing so well, the library felt the time was right to safely open the doors to the public,” Roberts said. “The Highland County District Library will continue to follow state guidelines for public safety, which include limiting the number of people inside a building at one time, requiring a face covering indoors, and asking that everyone keep socially distant.”
The hours for each of the county’s libraries are as follows:
Hillsboro Public Library, 10 Willettsville Pike — Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Greenfield Branch Library, 1125 Jefferson St. — Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Leesburg Branch Library, 240 E. Main St. — Monday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Lynchburg Branch Library, 102 S. Main St. — Monday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Rocky Fork Branch Library, 11125 N. Shore Dr. — Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; closed Wednesday; Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For more information contact your local library.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.
