After a two-week closure while staff were under a mandatory quarantine followed by two weeks of curbside only service, the Jackson-Madison County Library will reopen its doors to the public in a limited capacity beginning August 3, 2020.

The Main Library will offer curbside services only between the hours of 9 am to noon Monday through Friday. The public will be able to enter the building to browse for materials or use the computer lab from noon until 6 pm Monday through Thursday and noon until 5 pm on Friday. On Saturday, the Main Library will only offer curbside services from 9 am until 5 pm. The North Branch will only offer curbside services only during its regular operating hours of 9 am until 6 pm Monday through Friday.

To ensure the safety of patrons and staff, patrons must enter the Main Library from the College Street side of the building. Every guest must wear a face covering and will undergo a health screening. During this time, a limited number of computers will be available. There will be no seating for reading or studying.

“We have certainly experienced a number of challenges this summer, including a two-week closure after two of our team members tested positive for COVID19,” said Dinah Harris, library director. “As a community gathering place, our primary concern has been to protect the health of our patrons and our staff. Our morning curbside services will provide an extra measure of protection for those who are not comfortable coming into our space, while limiting our capacity, requiring face coverings, and screening patrons at the door in the afternoon will protect those who need to come inside.”

Continued Harris, “We have also implemented a plan to divide our staff into separate work teams to limit their interaction with each other. Our hope is that if we have another staff member test positive in the future, we will not have to completely close our doors. We greatly appreciate the community’s support and patience, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back.”

The Jackson-Madison County Library is located at 433 E. Lafayette St. in downtown Jackson and the North Branch is located at 8 Stonebridge Blvd next to China Pan Buffet. For more information, contact the Library at 731-425-8600, visit the Library’s Facebook page or its website at JMCLibrary.org.