New Castle, DE – New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer announced that all County Libraries are gearing up to provide contactless curbside delivery on Tuesdays and Saturdays beginning the week of June 15. The contact-less pickup program aims to deliver books, DVDs and other media to County residents’ eager hands, while focusing on safety for librarians, their staff, and county residents.
“Like all of our New Castle County residents, I’ve missed our libraries a great deal,” said New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer. “This pilot will help us get materials to our guests in a safe, secure way, and we’re excited to bring this service back to our communities.”
Library patrons with existing holds will be notified by phone that their materials are ready for pickup beginning in June and staff will confirm pickup dates. Libraries will also accept patron requests via phone or email for materials housed in their building’s collections. Library staff will work with each patron to determine if the desired material is available in their building, and if not, what materials in the collection may fit their interest or need.
Patrons will pick up the materials curbside on select pick-up days – Tuesdays/Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Signs will mark designated waiting areas for pickup. Patrons will need a mobile device to call the library when they arrive and should remain in the vehicle while staff place items in the trunk.
The goal is to offer more pickup days in the coming weeks. Library buildings will not be open to the public at this time, but book drops will open on June 1. For those who are unable to return their checked-out items immediately, the due date for materials currently checked out is extended to July 1. Items must be returned via the libraries’ book drops; staff will not accept items in person. All items will be quarantined before being checked in.
Visit the library’s website at https://nccde.org/286/Libraries for more information, including how to place a hold and what to expect at pickup.