San Francisco Public Library will fully reopen in-person service by Aug. 17

(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

By Sri Ravipati

(SAN FRANCISCO) Beginning Tuesday with the Park and West Portal library locations, San Francisco Public Library will reopen 11 neighborhood branches for full in-person service by Aug. 17.

“We said we would get it done by the time school starts, and we are keeping to that promise,” said City Librarian Michael Lambert in a statement.

It is the final wave of reopenings since the San Francisco Public Library closed all locations for indoor service in March 2020. Since then, hundreds of SFPL employees were deployed and 10  neighborhood library branches became community hubs to support the city’s COVID-19 response.

“I am excited to announce that our neighborhood libraries are reopening for in-person service,” San Francisco Mayor Breed said in a statement. “Like so many city services, our libraries were hit hard by the pandemic with staff forced to find innovative ways to continue serving our communities.”

In addition to the Park and West Portal, other branches opening this month include:

• Aug. 9: Ingleside, North Beach and Sunset
• Aug. 10: Anza, Marina, Portola and Potrero
• Aug. 16: Golden Gate Valley
• Aug. 17: Merced

The Main Library returns to pre-pandemic hours on Sept. 7, opening at 9 a.m. Monday through Thursday. It will stay open until 8 p.m Tuesdays through Thursday and until 6 p.m. on other days.

Many library staff have returned to their primary roles after serving as disaster service workers throughout the pandemic, but staffing levels remain too low to resume pre-pandemic hours at the neighborhood branches.

Meanwhile, the Mission Branch is closed for renovation, but there is a temporary bookmobile at Harrison and 20th streets every Tuesday and Thursday from 2 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. to serve Mission District residents.

Certain in-person public programs, such as storytimes and author talks, will be phased in as staffing allows.

More information about the reopening is available on the San Francisco Public Library webpage here.

Follow me to see more articles like this.

...

Follow