Sunnyside Library (Photo: Queens Post)
Sept. 24, 2020 By Christian Murray
The Sunnyside library, located at 43-06 Greenpoint Ave., will reopen Monday after being closed since March.
The Queens Public Library, which oversees the branch, announced today that it will reopen it for “to-go” service on Sept. 28. The Queens library system will have reopened 22 branches for “to-go” service by Monday– after phasing in branch reopenings since July.
All 22 branches will be open six days a week with a mask requirement in place for both visitors and staff.
Under the “to-go” model, residents can request items online, through the QPL app or by phone and pick them up in a designated area of each branch building. They can return materials in the exterior return machines.
Branch staff will set aside and quarantine all returned items for 96 hours before they are put back into circulation. Each library branch will undergo extensive cleaning as well.
Library visitors are not permitted to browse shelves or use public computers inside branch buildings. Public programming and events remain cancelled amid the pandemic.
The Queens Library reopened its first seven branches for “to-go” service on July 13 with a second batch of eight branches on Aug. 10. Seven additional branches–including the Sunnyside library– will open Monday.
The 22 branches will all operate to-go service during the following hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (with a one-hour closure from 1 to 2 p.m. for cleaning); 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday; and 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday (with a one-hour closure from 3 to 4 p.m. for cleaning).
The library system shut all of its 66 branches on March 16 to stop the spread of COVID-19.
It plans to reopen more branches on a gradual basis. There has yet to be an announcement as to the reopening of the Woodside branch library, located at 54-22 Skillman Ave.
The seven branches slated to reopen Monday are:
Arverne Library; Auburndale Library; Forest Hills Library; Fresh Meadows Library; Hillcrest Library; Langston Hughes Library and the Sunnyside Library.
They will join the following branches that are currently open for “to-go” service:
Astoria Library; Bayside Library; Bellerose Library; Cambria Heights Library; East Elmhurst Library; Jackson Heights Library; Kew Gardens Hills Library; Laurelton Library; Long Island City Library; Peninsula Library; Queensboro Hill Library; Rego Park Library; Ridgewood Library; South Ozone Park Library and Whitestone Library.
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14 Comments
If they allow people to stay inside libraries will filled with homeless people seeking shelter from the bad weather. Western Queens is filled with homeless and drug addicts on the streets.
I ain’t going to the library until the virus is dead.?
My 80 year old mother used to enjoy her walks to the library. Unfortunately she no longer feels safe walking alone in Sunnyside anymore. Special thanks to little Jimmy and his anti police efforts. Defunding the police, bike lanes and drag queens seem to be his priorities!
To the person constantly posting the same nonsense over and over again using other people’s posting tags, give it a rest already. We know you don’t like Van Bramer. Your posts are actually so annoying they’re pushing people to vote against anything you’re promoting.
its not just him.
What a ridiculous comment. Walking in Sunnyside is an incredibly safe activity. The bike lands make is safer for everyone using the roads and the police haven’t been defunded (yes, I know you hardly ever see them around here but that’s nothing new.) I love visiting the Sunnyside branch and will be glad when they’re open again.
I agree; I still feel safe walking in Sunnyside. There are always several other people walking around and I’ve never felt threatened. I can’t wait for the Sunnyside branch to reopen for browsing, not just for grab and go.
The bike lanes may be safer but that’s when cyclists choose to use them and obey traffic signals! Try using an ATM on Queens Blvd at night. See how safe you feel. I suggest you download the citizen app you may find yourself surprised at what’s going on in Sunnyside on a daily basis.
You must be a bicyclist or a good delivery moped rider.
No, I mostly walk and I walk past the Sunnyside Library frequently. I’m going there today to say hello to the librarians.
I also ride a bicycle and an electric scooter, in the designated lane while obeying traffic rules. Was only hit once by a car and only suffered a concussion and a fractured femur.
Hi! I checked out all my reserved books yesterday and it couldn’t have gone more smoothly. They only allow 3 people in the library at one time (I called ahead so they were expecting me) and the libarian on duty (I only saw one) couldn’t have been nicer or more helpful. They have signs everywhere indicating where to go to pick up books and it wasn’t an unpleasant experience at all. I still miss browsing of courses, but that will return in time.
The exterior return machine at the Sunnyside library was open for returns about two weeks ago. Since then, I’ve stopped by several times only to find the return machine inoperable. I’ve also reserved several books and have been advised they are now available for pick-up but the message also says I can pick them up between Oct. 6 – 15. If they’re now available for pick-up, why can’t I pick them up on Monday, Sept. 28?
I think it means that they’re now available but it will take a few days to ship it to the library at which you will be checking them out. I’ve been using the Sunnyside return machine and haven’t had any difficulty. Just returned 5 times today.
I visited my parents in Florida this summer and my mother was reading a lot of books. If a book was out on loan the book would have to be quarantined for a few days before they’d even call her.