A GRADUAL REOPENING. Alex Schneider, director of the Brooke County Public Library, wipes down the keyboard of a computer with which patrons may search for books and other materials there. Shelves of books there and at its Follansbee branch have been temporarily taped off to prevent spread of COVID-19, so the library's staff is prepared to collect any books or other items desired by patients who use the computer or order them online at home. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — The Brooke County Public Library and its Follansbee branch have reopened following shelter-in-place orders while implementing some temporary safety procedures and preparing for a big change that will make more books and other materials available to their patrons.

Alex Schneider, the libraries’ director, said they have joined many businesses and government offices following safe opening procedures prescribed by health officials.

Visitors won’t be able to browse the libraries’ bookshelves for a while but may use the libraries’ digital card catalog, which has been covered with plastic so it can be disinfected regularly by staff.

Once a patron has selected a book, movie or other item, staff will retrieve it for them from the sections, which have been temporarily taped off.

Schneider said library patrons also may use an online card catalog at https://tinyurl.com/yakpr4qg and order up to five books or other materials from their homes by calling the Wellsburg location at (304) 737-1551, the Follansbee branch at (304) 527-0860 or visiting http://nwvlc.clark.lib.wv.us.

After receiving the orders, staff will gather the materials for pickup at an arranged time from the libraries’ vestibules.

She said it’s a service offered by many libraries following the shelter-in-place order and may become a permanent offering at the Brooke County libraries.

“A lot of us are saying, why didn’t we do this before? I think it may be a great way to serve many of our working people,” Schneider said.

She said patrons who miss browsing the libraries’ shelves may try their new Masked Reads service. Through it, books are suggested to patrons who indicate their favorite authors and genres, with all such information kept confidential, Schneider said of the program, which was named for the masks worn by many at this time.

She said because of limited staff, the libraries aren’t able to provide the curbside service available at some other libraries.

Schneider said those who patronize various West Virginia libraries may find different measures being taken, as the governor’s office hasn’t prescribed specific measures for them.

“We just took our cues from the local government offices that have opened,” she said.

Schneider said after consulting the Brooke County Health Department, she and the library’s board of trustees have agreed to encourage patrons to wear masks while requiring staff to wear them.

She said the latter move has been welcomed by staff, some of which have health conditions that could put them at risk.

During the lockdown, Schneider and her staff worked from home, answering e-mail to the library, attending online training and presenting virtual programs that will continue at this time.

To make up for canceled meetings of the library’s cooking club, Schneider has been presenting short cooking demonstrations on the library’s Facebook page, with the next one to air live at noon June 30.

And Kim Harless, the library’s educational programs director, has used the page to present her weekly story hours, though she admitted they run somewhat under an hour since they don’t include a snack time.

Harless said in addition to viewing them, children may participate by videoconference.

“The kids are excited to see each other. I think that’s a big thing –getting to see each other,” she said.

Schneider said members of the library’s book club also have enjoyed “gathering” by social media. The library’s Dungeons and Dragons Club also has been meeting virtually.

The virtual story hours will be presented live this month at noon Mondays and at 11 a.m. Tuesdays. For information about any of the library’s virtual programs, visit http://bcplvirtual.webbly.com.

The story hours will have fantasy themes in keeping with the libraries’ summer reading program and will include crafts that can be picked up at either location. There also will be art contests during the program, which has the theme “Imagine Your Story” and includes activities for all ages, including adults.

They can be found at bcplwv.readsquared.com through Aug. 15. The program again is being sponsored by the Wellsburg Elks Club, which has obtained grants for it over the years from the National Elks Foundation.

Schneider noted a wide variety of digital books, movies and music are available to library cardholders through the West Virginia Reads service and added the number of physical materials that will be available to them will greatly expand when the libraries become part of a new network of West Virginia libraries.

She said the Brooke County libraries and other Northern Panhandle libraries in the Northern West Virginia Library Network, commonly known as NORLN, will merge with the Mountain Library Network, the largest in the state, to become the West Virginia Library Network.

Schneider said the move will allow libraries to remain autonomous while enabling them to purchase materials collectively. It’s also expected to ease interlibrary loans while making a larger pool of books and other materials available to patrons through much of the state.

To prepare for the merger, library staff will be applying new barcodes to library materials to avoid duplication with others in the library network.

Schneider said while libraries have extended their services to include online features, there still are many residents who have limited or no Internet service.

For this reason, the libraries have made their WiFi codes available for use just outside the building during the pandemic.

She said unfortunately, computers inside the library, often used by patrons for job searches and other business, aren’t available yet but she hopes they and other in-person services will be available in the weeks ahead.

“We’re hoping things go great this month and we can go on to the next phase,” Schneider said.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)