To our Manhasset Community:
We, the Manhasset Public Library Trustees, are delighted that New York’s “un-pausing” will soon allow a phased reopening of our library.
While dates and details will continue to be determined by the authorities having jurisdiction over our library — including Nassau County, New York State, public health agencies and the CDC — our director is working closely with our library staff and the Nassau Library Association to ensure all our plans, policies and procedures are thoroughly vetted to protect the health and safety of community members and library employees.
Phase I of our planned reopening is expected to begin within days, after we achieve compliance with the NYS Department of Health NY Forward Safety Plan. Initially, the building will be open for staff only to prepare to begin circulating physical materials by the end of June and to practice new employee safety procedures mandated by public health.
Like every other library in Nassau County, we find ourselves in novel territory. Circulation of physical materials will likely begin by having patrons request materials through the catalog, “Chat With Us,” “Suggest a purchase” (all through the website), or by telephone, and then pick up the requested materials “curbside” in the parking lot, with appropriate social distancing or have it mailed to those for whom driving is not feasible.
If you have visited our website (https://www.manhassetlibrary.org), you know our library staff have been diligently building out remote services and remote access to our Library materials, while learning how to do this from home. They have sharpened their skills and expanded the services we can offer.
As trustees, we remain focused on our commitment to provide our Manhasset community information and services that are both practical and relevant — particularly in these unprecedented times. We applaud staff efforts in augmenting access to materials and information, particularly for the many who have suffered job loss, business adversity, or more general economic uncertainty. If you have questions, please reach out during weekday business hours to “Ask a Librarian” on our landing page or telephone us at (516) 627-2300.
Because the COVID-19 and “NY Pause” have caused unprecedented financial distress, the trustees are not seeking an annual tax levy increase but have chosen to maintain our current budget level. This was not an easy decision since we have no control over contracted cost increases, often the largest budget lines, nor pandemic-related expenses, such as frequent deep cleaning, physical barriers to facilitate adequate social distancing, PPE for employees and the public, etc.
We are committed despite budget challenges to providing you with safe, efficient, and relevant services until a vaccine or treatment removes threats of service disruption — so we are reviewing all aspects of our operations, from adjusting our physical space and staffing schedules to conform to public health strictures, realigning staffing roles to safely and efficiently maintain critical services (both in-person and remotely delivered), designing cost-effective contactless and minimum-contact service models, and focusing our collection acquisitions specifically on your evolving needs.
We want to express our appreciation to our library director and our extraordinary team of library employees. They have demonstrated an ongoing culture of service through Herculean efforts. They make us proud. We also want to express our gratitude to our community, to you, for staying safe, staying positive, and reaching out to neighbors. We will be reopening because you helped reduce virus transmission. Keep checking our website for updates.
We can’t wait to see you all in person again,
Judith B. Esterquest
Trustee
