VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – The Virginia Beach Public Library announced on Wednesday it will reopen five of its 10 branches that have been closed since March due to the pandemic.

The VBPL says residents will be able to visit the Bayside, Central, Kempsville, Princess Anne, and Wahab Public Law Library for services including browsing and checking out materials, using computers and printers, applying for library cards and picking up Summer Reading Challenge prizes.

The city says, VBPL’s Great Neck, Oceanfront, Pungo-Blackwater, and Windsor Woods locations will also open with limited services on Aug. 10.

The TCC/City Joint-Use Library will remain closed until further notice and the VBPL will continue to offer holds and pickup services at the branches until the buildings reopen.

For the safety of visitors and staff, the following safety measures will be made in each facility:

  • Limited numbers of people will be admitted to the libraries at a time, based on building size.
  • Customers will be asked to keep visits to one hour to maximize access for all residents.
  • Staff and customers must wear masks inside libraries.
  • Signs and decals will reiterate CDC guidelines for social distancing and hand-washing.
  • Spaces and furnishings inside the libraries may be unavailable, including the children’s rooms at Kempsville and Princess Anne libraries and the teen room at Central Library.
  • Aisles and pathways in the buildings may be marked for one-way travel.
  • Sneeze guards are being added at customer service stations.
  • Increased cleaning and sanitizing practices are being implemented.

In addition, the VBPL offers virtual programs for all ages and increased the availability of digital materials to help keep down on the number of individuals in each library at a time.

Due dates for the items customers had checked out prior to VBPL’s COVID-19 closure on March 16 were extended to avoid the accumulation of late fees on customer accounts.

The library says those items are now due July 20 and customers will receive direct notice from the library with due dates.

For more information on the Virginia Beach Public Library visit their website.

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