By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Public Library is planning to commemorate National Library Week this week. Library Workers Day is Tuesday.
"We have a dedicated staff of full time and part time folks who really, I think, do a wonderful job trying to get the library to be the best it can be," said Gregg Wamsley with the library.
There really was no guidance on how to operate the library in a pandemic, so staff had to quickly do as much research as possible into safety practices.
"A lot of what we have done so far have been activities and ideas and things that came right out of our workforce, our staff members," Wamsley said. "We didn't have a whole lot of guidance beyond our four walls, so to speak."
Within about a week after the stay at home order ended, the staff was able to implement cleaning protocols, develop a quarantine and disinfecting system for returned materials and offer a library material pick up service, provide at home research services, provide free copying, scanning and faxing and more. The library also moved the wi-fi positions so that they could be used outside the building, and increased wi-fi hours to 6:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
"One of the biggest things, once we were able to open the building, was to be able to provide public computer access," Wamsley said. "Our staff came up with a really great way of doing it safely and we've been doing that now since last July. It's worked wonderfully well. We've helped countless people."
The library has helped approximately 175 people per day with all services since their reopening on July 8, 2020. Almost 38,500 people have visited the library in person since then.
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