CHENNAI: After a gap of four months, the Tamil Nadu government on Saturday reopened more than 6,000 public libraries in view of falling Covid-19 cases in the state.
“Keeping the interest of students preparing for competitive exams and other readers, the libraries will be reopened throughout the state, except in the containment zones, by following Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs),” a circular from S Nagaraja Murugan, director (incharge) of public libraries, said.
The SOPs barred people above 65 years and below 15 years from using the public libraries in view of Covid-19 pandemic.
As per the guidelines, the library staff should clean the chairs, tables and books used by readers with disinfectants before closing the library for the day.
The readers with masks alone should be allowed to enter the libraries. Airconditioners should not be used in libraries. The temperature of staff and readers should be checked before allowing them to enter into the libraries.
The staff lending books should wear gloves. The staff also should display the books which are popular among the readers, the guidelines said.
It further asked them to reduce the number of chairs in their own books reading, competitive exam and reference book sections. The preference should be given on a first come first serve basis.
Books and laptops used by readers in their own book section should not be allowed to share with other members or to take them to other sections, the guidelines said.
