L.A. County and city libraries will reopen soon. Here's what to expect

Before the pandemic, Frank Haffner scheduled his routine around a daily trip to his local library in Rosemead.

If he arrived early to beat the crowd, he preferred to nestle into an overstuffed chair in front of the library’s large windows. With the San Gabriel Mountains at his back, he used the natural light to illuminate his reading materials. Sometimes he sat at a table, spread out his stack of books and perused them until one piqued his interest.

Haffner has since had to create his own reading nook at home. He checks out books and DVDs through the library’s online service about once a week. Then he picks them up through its sidewalk service.

“Every day, something to do,” said Haffner, 70. “I liked getting out of the house. And I wouldn’t have to buy the newspaper.”

Haffner and other bookworms will soon be able to return to local libraries as life in Los Angeles County crawls back to normality after more than a year of closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Select L.A. County Library branches will open their doors Monday for limited in-person services, such as browsing and checking out books, printing and surfing the internet, and asking the reference desk for assistance in finding materials or information.

The Los Angeles Public Library is expected to reopen May 3 with similar limited services at 38 locations.

Summer learning programs are expected to return in June, said Skye Patrick, director of the L.A. County Library.

Even with the reopenings, both agencies will continue offering sidewalk services for the foreseeable future.

"It'll look a little different, but we're hoping all our safety measures ensure our customers have a great experience and still recall we're the center for community," Patrick said.

Like at other businesses, masks and social distancing will be enforced at the libraries. Signs will direct foot traffic. Furniture and bookshelves have been reorganized to open up nooks. Disposable keyboard covers will be provided at computer stations. Plexiglass has been installed in some areas, and hand sanitizer will be readily available. Midday cleanings also will be conducted.

Under the state's reopening blueprint, libraries that are in a county in the orange tier — such as Los Angeles — are permitted to fully reopen without limits on the number of customers inside. Counties can impose stricter rules than the state, which is what L.A. County health officials did in reducing libraries' capacity to a maximum of 75%.

But officials at the county library have gone a step further and will limit capacity to 50%. Electronic signs posted at the entrances will show the number of people inside the buildings and will list how many more are allowed in. Once capacity is reached, Patrick said, staff will notify those inside to wrap up to let others in.

For Sue Yamamoto, the thought of her workplace returning to some sense of normality sparked "warm, fuzzy feelings." The library manager at Rosemead loved seeing her location buzzing with people, and she ensured its calendar was stacked with programs for all ages.

Social interactions were the highlight of the job for Yamamoto, who's been at the library for 10 years. For the last year, though, she's had to make due with the minimal curbside contact she squeezes in when people pick up reserved items.

When a minivan recently pulled up in front of the library, Yamamoto instantly recognized the woman who got out and greeted her by name. The librarian scurried inside, packed a stack of reserved books in a brown paper bag and delivered it to the customer.

"It's how I get my exercise," Yamamoto joked.

Daisy Pulido, senior librarian at the L.A. Public Library's Vernon branch, was similarly excited when she learned her branch would reopen soon. Details are still being hammered out, she said, but "I have butterflies in my stomach. It feels like you're getting ready to go back to school."

She said she volunteered to help when sidewalk services were introduced last year because she could see some of her colleagues and mingle with the public. It also was a way to build connections with her community, she added.

Despite their enthusiasm, library staffers know others might feel differently about returning in person.

Alice Martinez had driven her teenage son to the L.A. Public Library's San Pedro regional branch on a recent afternoon because he needed a hard-to-find book for school.

Martinez, 48, said she would bring her children inside the library once they were vaccinated — but it didn't seem likely they'd be going inside soon.

San Pedro resident Jana Tokuhama said she normally visits the library a couple of times a year, mainly to browse the music section. But the 30-year-old now prefers the convenience of reserving items online.

"You can't really beat that," she said while picking up a bundle of nine CDs.

At the Rosemead library, Anita Stanley said she would keep using the online service to give Yamamoto and her staff a few days to adjust to their schedules. She's visited that branch for 20 years with her children and grandchildren and loves how she always feels welcome.

Once the buzz dies down, Stanley said, she'd be comfortable reading inside while wearing a mask.

Haffner, who had rented a "Mission Impossible" DVD, had a similar perspective. When asked whether he was nervous to return inside once libraries reopened, he said, "I was never afraid to do anything."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.