Deschutes County Public Library trimming operating hours

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Open hours will be reduced at all Deschutes Public Library locations beginning Monday. The reduced hours will remain in effect until further notice, officials said. 

The change comes following the state’s new risk-based COVID-19 guidelines. Deschutes County is currently at the “extreme risk” level.

Adjusted hours are:

• Downtown Bend, Redmond, East Bend Libraries: Monday–Saturday, noon–6:00 p.m.
• La Pine, Sisters, Sunriver Libraries: Tuesday–Saturday, noon–6:00 p.m.

“We appreciate the community’s understanding and patience as we work to follow state guidelines and ensure the safety of our staff and customers,” said Library Director Todd Dunkelberg. “As always, we remain committed to finding ways to provide Deschutes County residents with access to important resources and services during these challenging times.”

Book drops remain open, and curb-side pick-up of holds during open hours is an option for all customers. Additional safety measures remain in place:

• Building occupancy in public spaces is significantly reduced in all library facilities
• The maximum length of a customer’s visit is 30 minutes
• No public seating is available, except for when using a public computer for up to 30 minutes
• Compliant face coverings are required at all times with no exceptions, with an immediate 30-day exclusion for non-compliance
• Customers are asked to use hand sanitizer (available in all library locations) when entering and exiting libraries
• Staff who can work remotely are working from home so as to further decrease the number of people in all buildings

The Library encourages customers to use its extensive online resources as much as possible. Customers can browse the online catalog (www.dpl.bibliocommons.com) and reserve items online and quickly pick-up those items when they’re available. Customers can also request curb-side pick-up for items they have on hold by calling their library during open open hours when items are ready (phone numbers for all six library locations are available at www.deschuteslibrary.org/about/libraries).

Deschutes Public Library offers a wealth of free online resources, including eBooks and audio books, streaming movies and television shows, digital magazines and music, information databases, and more. The Library greatly increased its collection of digital materials, such as eBooks and digital audiobooks, in 2020.

Visit www.deschuteslibrary.org/books/downloads for more information about digital resources. Staff are always available to assist customers over the phone; visit www.deschuteslibrary.org/about/libraries for phone numbers.

The Library’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/deschuteslibrary) also provides a diverse range of story times, presentations, and activities that are available 24/7.  

The Library continues to ask that if staff members, or someone in their household, experience symptoms of the coronavirus—such as fever, cough or shortness of breath—that they do not come to work and that they contact their health care provider for information on next steps. Likewise, the Library asks the community to follow the same precautions.

For additional health and safety information, visit:

• Information on free and income-based clinics: www.freeclinics.com/cit/or-bend 
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
• Oregon Health Authority: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/pages/index.aspx
• Deschutes County Health Department: https://www.deschutes.org/health/page/covid-19-novel-coronavirus