Contactless Holds Pickup and Material Return will be Available at All Eight Locations
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF. – In accordance with the Santa Clara County Public Health Department’s guidance allowing more businesses to reopen, the Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD) will begin offering curbside services starting Monday, June 15. These services include contactless curbside holds pickup, material returns, and the ability to place holds on items.
“Libraries are valuable assets in every community. In these challenging times, providing free access to library resources including books, virtual programs, job and career development resources, etc. is more important than ever,” said County Supervisor and Library Joint Powers Authority Board Chair, Mike Wasserman.
Patrons will be able to pick up their holds Monday - Saturday from 1 – 5 p.m. using the curbside pickup or walkup service. There are three easy steps to follow:
(1) Place up to 12 items on hold at sccld.org or call (408) 540-3947 for assistance.
(2) Once you receive confirmation that your holds are available, make an appointment at sccld.org/curbside or call us at (408) 540-3947.
(3) Visit the library during your appointment time to pick up your holds. Enjoy!
Library staff will place the borrowed items in the trunk of a patron’s car for curbside pickup service. For patrons using public transportation or walking to the library, there is a walkup service outside of the library where patrons can pick up their items. Patrons are required to practice social distancing while using these services, maintaining 6-feet between themselves and others, as well as wearing a face covering if waiting in line for the walkup service.
SCCLD is also accepting returned materials Monday - Saturday from 1 – 5 p.m. Special book bins will be placed at each location during the service hours, and patrons are asked to return items using the book bins instead of the traditional book return drop box. All returned items will be held in quarantine for 72* hours, as a best practice advised by the World Health Organization and the Institute of Museum and Library Services and will not be removed from a patron’s account until the item has completed quarantine and been processed.
*UPDATE 1-12-2021: Returned items are quarantined for at least 24 hours to protect the health and safety of both Library staff and patrons. Please allow up to 4 days for returned items to be removed from your account.
“This is a first step towards bringing back full library services to our patrons,” said County Librarian Jennifer Weeks. “We are happy to offer these new options from the library and encourage patrons to also continue using our Online Library 24/7 to find eBooks, Audiobooks, movies, and music.”
SCCLD’s Summer Reading Program, Dig Deeper: Read, Investigate, Discover!, is being held virtually this year, with online programs and events for all ages. Additional online services and programs include Family Storytimes, ESL Conversation Clubs, and Virtual Book Clubs. There has also been interest in SCCLD’s online job, career, and professional development resources including JobNow, which offers free live personal assistance for resume and cover letter review. SCCLD events will continue to be held online through Facebook (@SCCLD) or Zoom.
Library buildings remain closed to the public until a time it is deemed safe to reopen. During this period, all facilities are receiving thorough deep cleanings.
Patrons who have research or collection related inquiries or account questions are encouraged to contact us via email, text, chat and by phone. Staff are available seven days a week from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Account Questions: (408) 540-3945. Ask a Librarian: (408) 540-3947.
All additional updates about SCCLD and further plans to reopen will be available at sccld.org/.
