Library customers will soon be able to borrow and return physical items from the DC Public Library. On May 29, take-out service will be offered at the Anacostia Neighborhood and Cleveland Park libraries as part of the phased plan to reopen the District.
Starting May 29, customers will be allowed to pick up their holds and return books to the Anacostia and Cleveland Park libraries using a take-out service model. Under this approach, customers will be allowed to pick up holds and return books at designated points near a building’s entrance.
DC Public Library Executive Director Richard Reyes-Gavilan said he was pleased that the library is ready to begin the phased reintroduction of neighborhood services. “We especially want to give customers an early opportunity to bring back the books they’ve had in their homes for the past three months,” he added.
Currently, residents have more than 200,000 items checked out, the equivalent of about three neighborhood libraries’ worth of materials. The phased approach to opening allows staff to retrieve items and process them in a way that is safe for customers and staff. The returned books will be quarantined for at least 72 hours before being checked in.
Take-out service will be expanded to a library in each ward of the city over a two-week period.
That expansion started with the Anacostia (1800 Good Hope Rd. SE) and Cleveland Park libraries which began offering take-out service as of May 29, continuing from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday, June 1 and Tuesday, June 2. Customers will also be able to return items at these locations.
On Wednesday, June 3 through Friday, June 5, the Anacostia and Cleveland Park (3310 Connecticut Ave. NW) libraries will offer take-out service and accept returns from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Customers will also be able to only return items to the Mt. Pleasant (3160 16th St. NW), West End (2301 L St. NW), Shepherd Park (7420 Georgia Ave. NW), Woodridge (1801 Hamlin St. NE), Northeast (330 Seventh St. SE) and Benning (3935 Benning Rd. NE) libraries from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Starting Monday, June 8, the Anacostia, Benning, Cleveland Park, Mount Pleasant, Northeast, Shepherd Park, West End, and Woodridge libraries will offer take-out service from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM on weekdays. Additionally, remote printing, which allows customers to send documents electronically for printing, will be available.
Offering take-out service helps ensure that the District’s social distancing guidelines are followed. Customers can request materials for take-out service by calling the Library at (202) 747-1017 for adult materials; calling (202) 747-5054 for youth materials and visiting dclibrary.org to use our catalog or our chat service. Library staff will work with the customer to schedule a pickup location.
When customers arrive at the library, they will give staff their name and library card number. library staff will place the reserved items on an identified table. Customers must wear a face mask or covering and practice social distancing while waiting. Markers will be placed outside denoting six-foot increments.
Learn more about DC Public Libraries by visiting www.dclibrary.org
