Pierce County Libraries Open Book Drops, Turn On Wi-Fi

LAKEWOOD, WA — Now that Pierce County has successfully entered Phase 2 of Gov. Inslee's Safe Start plan, libraries across the county are starting to get back to work.

Eight of Pierce County's 20 library's have reopened their book drops:

• Lakewood
• Gig Harbor
• Fife
• Parkland/Spanaway
• South Hill
• Summit,
• Sumner
• University Place

Over the next few weeks, the remaining 12 libraries in Pierce County will also reopen their book drops. The library system says they want to thank everyone for holding on to their books for the past several months of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Wi-Fi is also back on at every single Pierce County library. The library system says the internet can be accessed from parking lots outside their libraries, but they're asking that anyone who does so also continue to practice safe social distancing.

Unfortunately for book lovers: browsing will have to wait. Only library employees are currently allowed to be inside the libraries themselves, making renting a book a little more difficult. Select libraries across the state have improvised by creating an online system where readers can 'order' a book online and then drive to the library for a curbside book pickup. Pierce County says they're making plans for a similar curbside pickup system to rent out books, movies, and anything else, but in the meantime they're focusing on retrieving and restocking the books that were out when the pandemic first hit.

Libraries will only be able to reopen to the public when Pierce County enters Phase 3 of Inslee's reopening plan.

While they wait for Phase 3, librarians are also working on bringing back more of their learning and educational services, but trying to find a way to do so while still following coronavirus safety guidelines. In June, Pierce County launched a "Virtual Library" with online classes and events, which is still up and running. The annual Summer reading program will also be done online and will launch sometime in the next few weeks.

Until libraries can reopen their doors to the public, they're encouraging readers to continue checking out e-books and audiobooks online, which can be done here.

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Inslee Lays Out Phase 2 Guidance For Libraries, Drive-In Theaters