The Shire of Manjimup is delighted to announce the re-opening of our public libraries in Manjimup, Pemberton, Northcliffe and Walpole in the week commencing 18 May 2020.
In line with the Western Australian State Government's phase two of the roadmap to ease COVID-19 restrictions, library doors in Manjimup and Northcliffe will open on Monday 18 May 2020, and Pemberton and Walpole will follow on Wednesday 20 May 2020. During phase two, the Manjimup Library will open from 11am to 5pm from Monday to Friday and 9am to 12pm on Saturdays. The opening hours for other libraries are unchanged.
Phase two allows 20 patrons in the library space at any one time. This number may be lower in some of our smaller libraries.
In preparation for re-opening, the after-hours return chutes at Manjimup, Pemberton and Walpole libraries have been re-opened. This will assist with the Department of Health's advice to quarantine items for 24 hours before re-shelving them.
Restrictions on patron numbers will also mean that some of our activities such as Rhyme and Story Time and Book Clubs, which generally attract larger groups, will remain suspended for the time being. Furthermore, there will be no access to public pcs, printing study/reading spaces or charging facilities. The study hub at the Manjimup Library will be open only by appointment.
We have had to make some changes in order to keep everybody safe including hand sanitising on arrival and strict social distancing measures. The patron limits mean that borrowers will be encouraged to make their selection in a timely manner to avoid queues and ensure everyone who visits will have the same opportunity. The library may look a little different but our friendly staff and great resource collections remain the same.
Shire President, Paul Omodei said, "Library staff are very much looking forward to welcoming back borrowers. We know that our patrons have been patiently waiting for libraries to re-open so that they can return borrowed items and select new ones. We have a great selection of new materials including new book releases, biographies, audiobooks, board games, puzzles and magazines ready to go!"
