With the county moving to a moderate COVID-19 tier, San Mateo Public Library branches are planning for a limited opening of their lobby areas at the beginning of December with patrons able to come inside to pick up holds and with eight people allowed inside at one time, City Manager Drew Corbett said at the Monday council meeting.
The opening would free up staff resources from the current appointment-only model. Restrooms will remain closed, however. If the lobby opening goes well, the next step would be a limited opening of computer labs at a later date. Computer lab openings would depend on how the lobby opening goes and would likely be at the start of 2021. However, plans could change if COVID-19 infections increase in the area or the county moves out of the moderate tier, which it entered Oct. 28.
Deputy Mayor Eric Rodriguez said city staff would start working over the next month to ensure library staff and patrons’ safety by installing Plexiglas.
All library branches in San Mateo have been closed to the public, and events and room reservations have been canceled for months because of COVID-19. The Main, Hillsdale and Marina libraries currently have curbside holds pickup services available for residents. Other services have been slowed or canceled due to the restrictions. There is still no plan for the full reopening of library branches, Corbett said.
San Mateo is also on track to continue lifting various COVID-19 restrictions for businesses and local organizations. The city also said Parks and Recreation would open more in-person activities later in the month, including preschool, adult dance and fitness, youth sports and enrichment classes, Corbett said.
The city also swapped out old dining barricades for new water-filled ones throughout downtown as part of COVID-19 precautions since they provide more of a buffer against traffic. The council extended its proclamation of a local emergency due to COVID-19. The city will address the issue of updating land-use restrictions downtown as a response to COVID-19 at a separate meeting in January.
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Corbett provided the updates to the San Mateo City Council on Monday, Nov. 2, which included the details on the library lobby opening and other openings of city properties. According to the state, San Mateo County is now in the moderate tier of risk level. Under the moderate tier, more business operations are allowed with modifications for safety and behavior. Corbett said the county restaurants can now move indoor dining to 50% or 200 people, movie theaters indoors can have 50% capacity or 200 people, gyms and fitness centers can have 25% capacity indoors and wineries can have 25% capacity indoors or 100 people.
The state also says more businesses like amusement parks, aquariums, schools, museums and bookstores are allowed to open. Counties in the moderate tier have an adjusted case rate of 1.0-3.9 daily new cases and a positive test percentage of 2.0-4.9% over a seven-day average.
The limited reopening of the San Mateo Library will be a great gift to our community. It will be done with caution and patron safety as a priority. But it will answer a groundswell of public interest in beginning to access library services again. The San Mateo is an invaluable community asset for all of us. Let's all do our part to ensure its reopening is a success!
So let me get this straight… the main library has seven floors and almost 400,000 square feet but we’re limited to 8 people in the lobby. Meanwhile, scores of BLM and Antifa goons can assemble and riot, people can shop in grocery stores, dine indoors and out, or work out at the gym. I’m sorry, are we afraid some of those 8 people will escape upstairs and lick a majority of the 2 million items in the library to potentially spread the cooties? Ridiculous so-called leadership from local and state government.
Grandpa Taffy, now you know what it feels like when you spew your Republican to Democrat party switcheroo nonsense. On the surface, the lie sounds reasonable and then when you dig deeper you realize, through experience or education, the facts don’t agree with the lies. BTW, the SM Main Library has 3 floors and around 90,000 square feet.
You are the one that said the Library had 7 floors and 400,000 sq ft. I asked where you got your bad facts. Dumping Trump must have disturbed you more than I thought. Your post yesterday sounds as confused as Trump's speech the other night. Even though you are in denial the racist Dems are now the racist Repubs. There is still time for you to get some mental help before the right wing packed SCOTUS tries to do away with Obama care. BTW, you are right the facts don't agree with your lies.
Grandpa “if you can’t beat them, cheat them” Taffy Dave – instead of ranting, shouldn’t you be setting up a few symposiums since you’re the head of the Public Online Society? Maybe you can do an opening monologue regarding your political party switcheroo – that’s good for a lot of laughs. BTW, you didn’t ask about any facts.
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(6) comments
The limited reopening of the San Mateo Library will be a great gift to our community. It will be done with caution and patron safety as a priority. But it will answer a groundswell of public interest in beginning to access library services again. The San Mateo is an invaluable community asset for all of us. Let's all do our part to ensure its reopening is a success!
So let me get this straight… the main library has seven floors and almost 400,000 square feet but we’re limited to 8 people in the lobby. Meanwhile, scores of BLM and Antifa goons can assemble and riot, people can shop in grocery stores, dine indoors and out, or work out at the gym. I’m sorry, are we afraid some of those 8 people will escape upstairs and lick a majority of the 2 million items in the library to potentially spread the cooties? Ridiculous so-called leadership from local and state government.
Terence,
Where did you get your info, Faux News? The last time I was at the main library it only 3 floors. Did they add 4 more that I can't see?
Grandpa Taffy, now you know what it feels like when you spew your Republican to Democrat party switcheroo nonsense. On the surface, the lie sounds reasonable and then when you dig deeper you realize, through experience or education, the facts don’t agree with the lies. BTW, the SM Main Library has 3 floors and around 90,000 square feet.
Terence,
You are the one that said the Library had 7 floors and 400,000 sq ft. I asked where you got your bad facts. Dumping Trump must have disturbed you more than I thought. Your post yesterday sounds as confused as Trump's speech the other night. Even though you are in denial the racist Dems are now the racist Repubs. There is still time for you to get some mental help before the right wing packed SCOTUS tries to do away with Obama care. BTW, you are right the facts don't agree with your lies.
Grandpa “if you can’t beat them, cheat them” Taffy Dave – instead of ranting, shouldn’t you be setting up a few symposiums since you’re the head of the Public Online Society? Maybe you can do an opening monologue regarding your political party switcheroo – that’s good for a lot of laughs. BTW, you didn’t ask about any facts.
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