North Suffolk Library to reorganize

Published 5:38 pm Saturday, October 29, 2016

The North Suffolk Library will be closed for reorganization purposes for a week next month.

From Nov. 8-12, the building’s library space will be closed to the public. It will re-open at 10 a.m. on Nov. 14.

The reorganization project is taking place for a variety of reasons, according to Alicia Phinney, manager of library locations for Suffolk Public Library.

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“We want more continuity and more programming and community spaces,” Phinney said.

Phinney and the staff agreed the library feels “very segmented.” In response, they plan to reorganize the library to be more user-friendly and accessible for its users.

The library hopes to install more intuitive book collections and facilitate browsing for its users. There will be more signage installed for further ease of access.

They also hope to improve the line of sight from the library’s various service points for safety purposes. Additionally, it makes it easier for staff to “grab each other if they need help assisting a patron,” Phinney said.

The library will also introduce a new service model called “roving.” Staff will walk around, tablets in hand, and provide library users with a more direct service.

“We are meeting people where they are,” Phinney said.

During the reorganization process, there will be a Library2Go vehicle at the North Suffolk Library location from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 10. The vehicle will provide print and digital items and tablets and other devices with Internet access.

In the library lobby, there will be Internet accessible computers, printers, copiers and wireless Internet access for personal laptops and other devices. All scheduled library programs will take place in the lobby as well.

Phinney said an open house will be scheduled in the coming weeks to allow guests to see the library’s new set-up.

“We are really excited,” she said.

In years past, similar reorganizations and renovations have taken place at the city’s other library locations.

Just under two years ago at the Morgan Memorial location, book shelves and the service desk were moved around. Additionally, last year, new shelving was installed at the Chuckatuck location.