Catshill, Rubery and Alvechurch Libraries get set to reopen

LIBRARIES in Rubery, Catshill and Alvechurch will reopen on Monday, September 7, for the first time since the start of the Coronavirus lockdown.

The venues are among the penultimate group with Hagley and Woodrow being reopened later this month.

The County Council has worked closely with local library volunteers throughout the phased re-opening, and bosses say it is thanks to their help and support, that Hagley, Upton and Catshill are re-opening this month.

The mobile library will also resume normal service from September 7 with safe, socially-distanced browsing and borrowing. Customers are requested to wear a face covering when on board.

Coun Lucy Hodgson, Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “It’s wonderful that the final eight libraries are opening their doors, and we can welcome customers to all of our libraries across Worcestershire.

“I’d like to thank all of our staff for their hard work and dedication in bringing the local library to our customers throughout lockdown, and for adapting services when we were able to re-open.

“The Digital Library Hub has been a real success story during the pandemic, and I’d like to thank our customers for adapting to the new ways of visiting their local library.”

Customers will be able to browse shelves and borrow books using self-service kiosks, return books, pre-book public computers, pre-book a desk in the library for study and/or wi-fi access and the library staff will also be on hand to answer queries and provide information.

Social distancing and hygiene measures will be in place in all libraries for everyone’s safety.

The number of customers allowed into the library at any one time will be managed; browsing time will be limited to 20 minutes and computers and desks will be cleaned thoroughly after each use.

Here are the opening times for the libraries –