Extra support for Ōpōtiki library
From Monday 21 March 2022, there will be a new presence at the entrance to Te Tāhuhu o Te Rangi in Ōpōtiki. ISCL will be providing a staff member to help at the library entrance to assist people to sign in, remind visitors to wear a face mask (or provide one if needed) and keep an eye on numbers and social distancing.
Ōpōtiki District Council Community Services and Development Group Manager, Anna Hayward, said that the change would free up more time for library staff to do what they do best – support library users.
“Library staff have such a community focus to their work and are there to help users navigate the digital resources, find books, research and connect with the reference material they are looking for. This is their kaupapa and they do it really well.
“While Te Tāhuhu o Te Rangi isn’t a vaccine pass site, staff were spending a lot of their day asking people to abide by government rules, especially asking people to wear a mask. Getting a little bit of support from the security contractors is a chance to take that non-library workload off their shoulders for a few weeks. Particularly at the moment when like most workplaces, there are a number of people off unwell or isolating and staffing is so tight,” Ms Hayward said.
Ms Hayward reminded visitors to the library that government rules at red require masks in public facilities, including libraries. They must be worn over the nose and mouth at all times and cannot be t-shirts or bandanas. You can read more about masks and mask exemptions on the Unite Against Covid-19 website.