Libraries & museums to reopen under these new guidelines

CAPE TOWN - Three hundred libraries and museums in KwaZulu-Natal are getting ready to reopen their doors.

From the 1st of October the facilities will be opened after being closed for almost six months due to Covid-19.

After a risk assessment conducted across the 300 facilities. The National Sport, Arts and Culture department said it was satisfied that the Province is ready to receive patrons.

“We welcome the Minister’s approval of our request as the Province of KwaZulu Natal, our focus is on employee health and safety and that of patrons who visit our facilities, which is why we worked closely with the municipalities to carry out various risk assessments prior to making our application to reopen libraries and museums” said MEC Hlengiwe Mavimbela.

The Department will also assist with PPE supplies to safeguard workers and customers’ health and safety, where libraries indicate shortages of such materials.

The reopening of the libraries and museums will be implemented under the following strict guidelines:

A modular library or a small library will admit a maximum of 10 people;

Medium-sized library will accept 25 people at a time, and

A mega library will only admit up to 50 people.

Museum visitors will be allowed to take their tours. There will be no guided tours, but visitors will be screened by the museum staff to ensure they do not contaminate the surfaces and collections.

In the case of libraries, the following services will be permissible:

Wi-fi access

limited use of study area where patrons are using their study materials

return of materials that were borrowed before the lockdown

Any fines incurred during the lockdown period will be written off.