Story by Kahlen Miao
Staff Writer
Photo by Noah Kuhn
News Editor
The South Pasadena Public Library launched its no-contact material checkout service, Library Takeout, on Monday, June 15 to allow the community to pre order items online for pick-up.
The Library Takeout program will be open seven days a week and follow proper social distancing and sanitary measures to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Customers can use the library’s online catalog or call the reference desk to request no more than 10 books or other materials at a time for checkout. Pre-ordered items must be picked up at the library’s main entrance within three business days, by participants stating their name and birthday.
Books are due three weeks after check-out, although they will automatically renew twice if not on hold by another customer. Items checked out before the library’s initial closing must be returned by Wednesday, July 1 in the bins out front at any time.
The library is requiring face coverings and also marked the line to the entrance with tape six feet apart to ensure health guidlines are followed. Returned materials will also be quarantined for at least 72 hours before they can be checked out again.
The library had previously been closed since mid-March in response to Los Angeles County’s stay-at-home mandate to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The library’s new service allows community members to check out physical copies of books for the first time in months.
“It got tiring very early on searching for e-books and it wasn’t very efficient to keep buying books online,” rising sophomore Shaylee Yoon said. “What a library does isn’t replaceable, so it’s really nice to finally get new books after months of waiting.”
Community members can also participate in the library’s annual Summer Reading Program and virtually track their progress with this year’s theme “Get in the Game.” Tasks such as reading e-books or graphic novels for at least 20 minutes or completing the 2020 Census earn prizes that will be given out at the end of summer.
The library currently has no plans to reopen the remainder of its in-person services in the foreseeable future.
