AQW 5036/17-22

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 19/06/2020
Answered On Date: 07/07/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities what consideration her Department has given to the reopening of public libraries for basic borrowing services.

Answer:

Since the beginning of the restrictions, the Department has worked closely with Libraries NI to help establish an appropriate plan of action to ensure the safe reopening of Libraries once the easing of restriction measures allowed.

On Thursday, 25 June, the Executive confirmed that the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (NI) Regulations 2020 will be lifted to allow libraries to re-open from mid-July.

From mid-July, Libraries NI will commence its plan to re-open its library facilities in a phased manner which maximises safety for both the public and its staff.

Risk assessments have been undertaken to inform the services that can initially be offered and, as such, Libraries NI has stated plans are in place to reopen libraries with a ‘book and collect’ service alongside a phased programme of reintroducing browsing and limited IT services.