Reopen seating areas in public libraries with safeguards against Covid-19

I refer to the report, “All public libraries to resume regular opening hours from Sept 1; Covid-19 measures to remain in place” (Aug 28).

The extension of library opening hours is welcome, but more can be done.

Singapore started Phase Two of its economic reopening on June 19 with multiple safe management measures.

Cases in the community remain low.

Public libraries reopened on July 1 with shorter opening hours and limited capacity.

Patrons continue to be allowed only half an hour to browse around the libraries, with seating out of bounds. 

Visitors to the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library along Victoria Street are allowed more time, with a two-hour cap on visits.  

The National Library Board (NLB) allows patrons to borrow e-books and enjoy online reading.

Yet online reading does not compare to sitting down with a book and enjoying the library’s ambience.

We should be more flexible and allow readers the liberty of sitting down to read in libraries.

In cities that have controlled the coronavirus well, such as Bangkok, Perth and Brisbane, public libraries have reopened with limited capacity and social distancing measures. 

In Brisbane, for example, there is access to limited library seating and quiet rooms.

NLB can space out seating and allow users to book rooms, in addition to limiting the number of visitors at any point in time.

Public libraries are meant to be silent places and hence talking should always be minimal.

It is strange that libraries cannot accommodate seated visitors despite these places having the least conversations occurring.

It is also peculiar that libraries do not allow visitors to sit down, but organisers may start applying for permission to hold business events with up to 250 attendees from Oct 1 under a trial.

Unlike void decks, bus stops and study spaces in community clubs, libraries are well-equipped for intensive contact-tracing should a Covid-19 case be detected.

Moreover, some cafes and co-working spaces, including Regus Express at Jurong Regional Library, have resumed operations, with patrons using them to do their work. This might be because their homes are not as conducive.

Moving ahead, we should make better use of our vast resources and library venues.

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