Despite the many obstacles the community of Scituate has faced during the pandemic, the staff at the Scituate Town Library–a tremendous resource used by many people–has remained committed. With a primary goal of always seeking to provide the Scituate community with the best possible resources for any project imaginable, whether it be researching, investigative work, or simply reading for pleasure, the town library has made amends to its protocols and adapted its layout to continue to provide for the public while keeping the safety of Scituate residents their top priority. 

The library, like many other public spaces across the country, has inevitably had to change its structure due to the pandemic. Visitors of the library are encouraged to keep their visits to a 30-minute maximum, with the CDC’s social distancing and mask protocols being enforced at all times while in the building’s vicinity. While there are collections available for browsing in the common area, the main stacks of books throughout the building are currently closed to prevent any contamination. The staff, however, is extremely helpful to all patrons, available to retrieve any items needed from “closed stacks.”

Because of the limitations on what can be accessed by visitors within the building, the staff of the Scituate Town Library created a grab-and-go system where readers can order their books online ahead of time and retrieve them within a matter of minutes through curbside pickup. These books are not only handled with love and care by the staff members within the building but also gloves and masks to prevent any possible spread of germs. 

Additionally, books placed in the library’s book drop, which is located outside of the building’s entrance, are quarantined for a minimum of three days, ensuring the safety of the library’s staff. Touchless self-checkout stations have also been introduced, helping to ensure the health and safety of both visitors and staff.

In order to make these necessary changes, the library’s staff has been working tirelessly since its reopening in July to make 85 Branch Street a clean, safe environment and provide those who simply don’t have the time to venture to the library with a surplus of online resources that have proven to be extremely useful for all ages. 

Among this hard-working staff is Katherine Jasinski, the current teen librarian at the Scituate Town Library. Being extremely hardworking and dedicated to her work, Jasinski has created a plethora of programs specifically designed for teenage students in need of resources to not only aid with school work, but also provide teens with opportunities for enjoyment away from the stresses the school-year may bring. 

Among these is a program titled “Books and Bites,” where teens are able to fill out an online form found on the library’s website specifying their personal reading preferences, such as preferred genres or authors, and a favorite snack to enjoy while reading. From there, Ms. Jasinski is able to create a personalized bundle of books based on the individual’s literary interests, with some snacks included as well. This program is not only a useful resource for teens who may be in need of a good pleasure read, but it’s also “a great way to discover new authors or books you might have never even considered,” Jasinski added.  

Being one of the very few libraries currently open to the public at this time, the Scituate Town Library has been extremely successful in providing the residents of Scituate with an abundance of resources. This is largely thanks to the incredible and hardworking staff at the library, who have kept safety as their first priority while trying to maintain a sense of normalcy for the community.