Skyway Library Reopens May 4

by Emerald Staff

Continuing its limited reopening of branches, the King County Library System (KCLS) announced on Monday that the Skyway branch will reopen on Tuesday, May 4. The branch is one of five locations added this week to a growing list of KCLS libraries where you can browse the shelves, check out books, print documents, and use computer terminals to search the internet. In addition, KCLS will also reopen the Black Diamond, Carnation, and Lake Forest Park branches this week.

KCLS has been gradually phasing in reopening of its branches across the county, with south King County branches in Kent, Muckleshoot, Tukwila, and Woodmont (Des Moines) opening their doors on March 3, and Federal Way/320th joining that list on April 6. There are now a total of 17 branches in KCLS currently offering in-building services.

"We share our patrons' enthusiasm for each reopening milestone," said Lisa Rosenblum, KCLS's executive director, in a press release, "and look forward to adding more locations with in-building access in the coming weeks and months."

"Curbside to Go" services at Skyway will no longer be offered once the branch has reopened.

Entry at the branch will be limited to every other hour, with each session followed by an hour of cleaning. Hours are 1 p.m.—8 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 10 a.m.—5 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. For more information on Skyway branch reopening hours, visit this KCLS webpage.

Library patrons at re-opened branches are admitted on a first-come-first-served basis and library staff will limit the number of visitors to meet occupancy guidelines set by Gov. Jay Inslee's Healthy Washington—Roadmap to Recovery plan and Safe Start COVID-19 guidelines. Face masks are required for entry, and KCLS says the library will be closed periodically for extensive cleaning of surfaces. If King County moves back to Phase 2 of the governor's reopening plan (as is expected on Tuesday) KCLS said in its press release that it will continue to "offer their current online, contactless, and in-building services, while ensuring that patron capacity is under 25% at all building locations."

The Seattle Public Library (SPL) is reopening branches at a much slower pace than KCLS: on April 27, SPL announced that three branches in its system, including the Southwest and Beacon Hill branches in the South End, will be open from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Nearly all other branches of the KCLS system also continue to offer "Curbside To Go" services that include pickup of books, materials, and printouts. External WiFi is also available outside most branches regardless of opening hours. Find out more about these and other services at the KCLS website or call (425) 462-9600 or (800) 462-9600.

Featured image: Skyway library (Photo: Alex Garland)