With much of the attention on the reopening of pubs and bars, people who prefer Pinter to pints might be feeling left out, writes Kit Heren…
But libraries are also allowed to reopen from April 12, as part of the government’s gradual unlocking of coronavirus lockdown.
Southwark Council has opened up eight across the borough, with four more to remain closed for the time being.
The following libraries reopened this week:
• Blue Anchor Library on Southwark Park Road in Bermondsey
• Brandon Library, on Maddock Way in Kennington
• Camberwell Library, on Camberwell Green
• Canada Water Library, on Surrey Quays Road
• Dulwich Library, on Lordship Lane
• Grove Vale Library, on Grove Vale in East Dulwich
• Nunhead Library, on Gordon Road
• Peckham Library on Peckham Hill Street
East Street Library, John Harvard Library, Kingswood Library and Southwark Heritage Centre and Walworth Library are still closed.
Visitors to the libraries that are now open will have to keep to several safety measures. These include wearing a mask and giving information to be used for the test and trace programme. Library cafes remain closed and rooms cannot be booked for private use. Library staff are also quarantining any returned books for 72 hours.
Any reservations made before the libraries closed on December 19 last year will still be available to pick up until the end of April.
Read more here: www.southwark.gov.uk/libraries/gradual-re-opening-of-library-and-heritage-services