Phased Reopening Plan

The Eureka Springs Carnegie Library Staff has been working hard these past months to serve the community in creative ways while preparing a plan for reopening the library and media center for browsing in a way that keeps patrons and staff safe during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Given the layout of facilities, the building as a popular tourist destination stop, and the Covid-19 at-risk status of a large swath of our community, library officials have been very careful to approach this matter with utmost care. As such, the library hopes to move into a phase where it may return to normal operating hours and allow the public inside the library & media center for browsing. Both the number of people and patron time inside buildings will be limited, and preference will be given to those who make advance appointments.

All people wishing to enter library buildings will be required to wear a face covering over their nose and mouth the entire time they are inside, have their temperature taken, and will be asked for contact information for the purposes of contract tracing should the need arise.

Buildings will close every other hour each day in order to allow air to cycle through high volume air purifiers with HEPA filters and for staff to sanitize high-touch surfaces and other areas of the buildings.

The library hopes to enter into this phase soon, but following advice from medical experts, will only move into this phase when Carroll County has experienced a two-week overall decline in new Covid-19 cases and a 14-day average percent positivity rate of <7.5%. The library will announce its next phase of reopening status as soon as these factors representing the decline in cases are present.

Until then, the public may continue to check out items via the library’s curbside tables, and make appointments for using computers, making copies or sending faxes at 253-8754 or [email protected].