We are ecstatic to have our Community Book Bank at 45 Bristol St. open five days a week! We recently spoke to our Book Bank Director Victoria about what procedures and safety measures were put into opening the doors to visitors and more volunteers.
- What steps had to be taken to reopen 5 days a week?
There were lots of things to consider, Vaccination rates, COVID Infection rates, etc. before we could even think about reopening our doors. We had to establish special rules for all of our visitors and volunteers to ensure that everyone can be in the building safely. - What steps are being taken to keep staff and visitors safe?
We are still cleaning the high touch surfaces several times a day. We have a limited schedule of volunteers to keep the number of people in the building down. We have a limit on the numbers of books people can take, as well as a limit on the number of people allowed in the building. Everyone in the building is required to wear a mask (when we are open to the public), regardless of vaccination status and to follow social distancing rules.. We ask anyone who is feeling unwell to stay home. Hand sanitizer is available around the entire building so anyone can clean their hands whenever necessary.
New ventilation unit that was installed prior to opening.
- What did you miss most while the book bank was closed/open fewer days/hours?
I missed all the volunteers of course. As busy as it can get, I did miss just having people in the building. It is always nice to see people browsing for books. - What are you most excited about?
I am most excited about being able to distribute books once again. We were doing so at a very limited capacity while we were closed, but I love knowing that we can resume distributing hundreds of books to our community each day - Favorite book you like to recommend.
I don’t have a favorite book at the moment, but I would highly recommend The Cellar by Natasha Preston. It’s a young adult book, but I absolutely loved it. It’s a fast paced thriller that you won’t be able to put down! All the twists and turns completely blindside you.
We are SO excited to welcome you all back safely. We hope to see you at the book bank soon!
