The James L. McIntyre Centennial Library downtown has been open for curbside service since May 25.
Four weeks since then, and almost 14 weeks since local libraries closed because of the coronavirus emergency, there's no word on when the North Branch library on Northern Avenue will re-open.
Downtown, an average of 54 holds on library materials have been picked up curbside each weekday, 20 on Saturdays.
"We don't feel that we've reached a threshold yet where we would move on to the next part of our phase, which would be to open up the North Branch for curbside service," chief executive officer Matthew MacDonald told a Monday-night meeting of the library board.
"We are busy, but we aren't so busy that we feel North Branch also needs to be opened," MacDonald said.
Another issue under consideration is whether to allow people inside the main downtown branch to access books or computers.
Provincial rules now allow libraries to admit patrons, but they still couldn't physically handle books on shelves, MacDonald told his board.
"It's basically a closed-stack scenario, where people could come into the library, pick up their hold, but they wouldn't be able to browse the shelves."
People needing to access computer services inside the Sault's libraries will also have to wait a bit.
Ontario rules now allow that, but physical-distancing restrictions still apply.
"That presents some challenges for us," MacDonald said.
"Right now, we're not allowing people in the building. As soon as we do allow people in the building, we have to have people at our entrances making sure that sanitation is happening, that we sanitize their hands on entry and pay attention to where they're going. The washrooms would have to be regularly maintained."
Loitering in the library would pose a challenge, MacDonald said.
"When you look at our computer set-up, it doesn't meet the guidelines, according to physical-distancing standards. The computers are much too close to each other. We don't have an alternative, other than locking some of the computers and limiting the number of computers that are available."
"We're considering a few things. Having people access computers in the lobby is not feasible because we don't have the connections and the power outlets down there. We're limited in terms of our space, where we can locate the computers and how close people can be."
"We don't feel confident at this point that we can open up our doors for computer services at this time," MacDonald said.
"Right now, it's a lot of work to let very few people use the computers."
The library's reference staff are accepting questions by telephone, with about 35 to 50 queries a day, most from seniors.
"Saturdays tend to be quieter while Mondays seem to be the busiest with 125 questions being asked in a single day," MacDonald said in a written report.
In other news, Rosanne Chan has taken over as Sault Ste. Marie Public Library's business administrator.
Chan grew up helping her family run the Peacock Gardens restaurant on Queen Street and was most recently international tax manager at the Sault office of BDO.
Library officials are considering spending up to $250,000 to remove and abate asbestos at the downtown library.
Asbestos exists in ceilings and on pipes in many parts of the building, possibly also in floor tiles.
Special attention is proposed for the building's 'four corners' – lower ceilings in the corners of the upper-level public area.
While generally considered safe if undisturbed, the ceilings there are within arm's reach of most library patrons and have sometimes been vandalized.
Officials hope to get the asbestos work done during the current COVID-19 closure of the building.
