Dannevirke library to reopen this week

Dannevirke Library remains closed but will open this week. Photo / Sue Emeny

Dannevirke Library is the only one in Tararua District to remain closed.

The libraries in Woodville, Pahiatua and Eketahuna are open as are all the service centres, but Dannevirke library has yet to have perspex screens installed at the counter.

Dannevirke library will open this week, but as yet it is not known what day that will happen.

The libraries open are operating under certain rules including contact tracing, meaning all visitors must provide their name and phone number, and there is a limit on how many people are allowed in the building at one time, under a one-in, one-out policy.

Meanwhile, despite the Dannevirke closure all but one staff member have been working from home since the alert level 4 lockdown began, making use of the time to plan and catch up on tasks.

A report that will be tabled at tomorrow's Tararua District Council meeting said a number of staff were seconded to the Emergency Operations Centre.

At alert level 3 the library team made calls to members who were over 65.

"These calls were a combined check on their welfare for the Emergency Operations Centre and of offer to deliver a limited number of library items as a refresh. A total of 532 were reached and deliveries were made to 222 members. One call to welfare resulted."

The library's annual quiz had been planned for this month as it was felt there were fewer events in May than in other months. An alternative date will be chosen soon.

The report said funding had been secured from Eastern and Central Community Trust to plan and run a children's winter reading challenge and work can now begin on putting this together.

Because of the lockdown none of the library's programmes were able to run, apart from the poetry meetings which were held weekly via Zoom.

"It was felt our over-70s group of members would be struggling during lockdown," the report said.

"About 25 per cent of this group have access to the internet allowing them to use our e-Lending service. The other 75 per cent would have to make do with any items they had borrowed before lockdown.

"Anecdotally, some of our members were heard to be stocking up on Friday, March 20. Four weeks is a long time without new material."

The report said when New Zealand moved to level 3 some libraries chose to resume their Homelink work.

"Tararua District Library put forward a proposal to contact over-70s members asking if they would like to receive a one-off delivery of up to three items.

"The shopping protocol developed by the Emergency Operations Centre to deliver groceries and pharmacy items to this age group in a contactless manner was adapted.

"The shopping form was also adapted to allow librarians to use their reader advisory skills for item selection."

Deliveries were made three times over a two-week period. Around 42 per cent of over-70s members used the service.

"A review of the sustainability and desirability of the service will be completed with a view to inclusion in Tararua District Library regular programmes."