By Randi Bjornstad

One thing some of us may have had lots more time to do in the last three months of sequestering against the coronavirus is read, listen to music, and watch movies.

Unfortunately and understandably, one of the things we haven’t been able to do at all is enjoy the many services of the Eugene Public Library, which suspended its operations on March 14 for the same reasons.

It’s still too early to reopen the library’s three locations — main library and two branches — for normal use. Now, though, the library announces it will begin on June 15 to reintroduce some services so that people can at least start getting back into the library habit.

  • The first step will be opening the book returns at the downtown main library location at 100 W. 10th Ave. from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Borrowers who have books, CDs and DVDs checked out from the Bethel and Sheldon branches also may return their items to the downtown book return.
  • At the same time, the library will begin using email, phone, or text to contact people who have had items on hold during the closure, including information on how to set up “curbside service” appointments for patrons of all three regular library locations.

Some patience will be required, however, because there is a backlog of more than 5,000 items that have been requested during the past few months, so it may take several weeks to take care of getting these items to library cardholders.

At the same time, the library requests that users not necessarily rush down on June 15 to return books and other checked-out materials, because all due dates have been extended to Sept. 14, and there will not be any fines assessed for overdue materials through that date.

That doesn’t mean that people can’t continue to make hold requests — via internet or telephone — for books, music, and movies to be picked up curbside sometime in the future. But people who already have hold requests for things they are no longer interested in checking out, should cancel those so they can be available to other users.

No date has been set yet for when Eugene’s main and branch libraries will reopen their doors to the public. But in the meantime, lots of things — ebooks, movies, and audiobooks — can be found free of charge online at eugene-or.gov/library.

Library staff members are available for questions or other assistance from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week, by telephone at 541-682-5450, by email at libraryaskus@ci.eugene.or.us or via live chat at eugene-or.gov/library.