Libraries in Long Beach began welcoming guests back inside this week following months of closures brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since June, the city’s library system had been offering to-go services for books ordered online, but now families and residents can visit the library in person.

Senior Librarian Mara Pearce at the Michelle Obama Library in North Long Beach said her staff was excited to see patrons come back inside using some of the services, such as computers and printers, and simply just hanging out.

Things were a bit different inside the library, however. Certain colorful corners designed for children were still closed off to promote social distancing. Libraries are requiring guests to wear a mask inside and to limit their stay to 30 minutes.

As of Wednesday, Pearce said the library had not seen a large number of people show up in person yet. She believed it was because people haven’t heard that they are open for in-person services again.

Some services are still unavailable, including after-school programs and storytimes for children. Pearce hopes they can resume sometime in the fall, but there has not been official word from the city’s library system as to when those services would come back.

Schedule of libraries:

BJK Main Library

  • Tuesdays, noon to 8 p.m.
  • Wednesdays, noon to 6 p.m.
  • Thursdays, noon to 7 p.m.
  • Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Bay Shore, Mark Twain and Michelle Obama Neighborhood Libraries

  • Tuesdays, noon to 7 p.m.
  • Wednesdays, noon to 6 p.m.
  • Thursdays, noon to 7 p.m.
  • Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.