YACHATS — For the second time this year, the threat of a new variant of the COVID virus has shuttered the “open” hours of the Yachats Library.
Effective Monday, Dec. 27, patrons will no longer be able to freely browse, check out materials or use other library services — but they will be able to pick up reserved books from 1-3 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
“We apologize to our patrons for this inconvenience,” said co-librarian Rose Valentine. “But we have to keep the concerns of our volunteers our top priority.”
Mask requirements, sign-in and maximum occupancy restrictions will remain in place during pickup times.
The library first emerged from pandemic shutdown in late June, after 17 months of closure. Then in August, the wave of Covid’s Delta variant cases forced the all-volunteer organization to end its expanded “open” hours — just as Omicron has done at year’s end.