Local library offering 'to-go' checkouts, quarantines returned books

MAITLAND, Fla. - At the Maitland Public Library, you can now pick up your reading selection without getting out of the car.

“We have been closed for six weeks. We knew our patrons were very desperate for some reading material,” said library director Stacie Larson.

The library started offering pick up services this week. No one is allowed inside but people can hold a book online or by calling. When they’re ready, library employees will bring the books to your car and put them in the trunk.

“The very first day, we collected 257 holds which for us is about 10 times a normal day’s holds,” Larson said.

The returns don’t go right back onto the shelves. The books are quarantined. Larson says time is their tool against the virus.

“The science right now is showing that the virus can survive up to two days on plastic. So we are quarantining items for three days,” she explained.

Larson says some customers were left on cliff hangers during the shutdown… unable to check out the next book in a series. 

“The last day we were open, they came and got hundreds of things. They didn’t last six weeks,” she said.

These employees are happy to be back in the building doling out the books.  They’re continuing to work on a social distancing plan so they can open the doors once again.