Libraries to re-open, 'sneeze guards' at Bellingen council

BELLINGEN Shire Council's Customer Service Centre and three branch libraries will re-open under revised operating hours and conditions to reflect the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and the most recent Public Health Order.

Accordingly, Bellingen's Customer Service Centre will re-open on Monday between the hours of 10am-2pm, Monday to Friday, to provide customers with face-to-face access to the majority of council related transactions traditionally available.

Additionally, council encourages the community to continue to take advantage of the broad range of online and over the phone customer service transactions that remain available during regular business hours, Monday to Friday, inclusive of council's building and planning inquiry services.

Consequently, to ensure best practice social distancing protocols are maintained, a limit of six customers at one time within the Customer Service Centre will be maintained and customers are kindly requested to utilise cashless payment methods where possible and observe onsite signage including the introduction of dedicated separate entry and exit points.

Further, to protect the community and staff, customer point of service 'sneeze guards' at service counters will be in place, and additional control measures will be introduced including the provision of hand sanitiser for the use of customers prior to entering the Customer Service Centre.

Council's Bellingen, Dorrigo and Urunga branch libraries will also partially re-open - on Tuesday - between the hours of 10am-11am, 1pm-2pm and 3pm-4pm, Tuesdays to Fridays, to provide library members with access to scanning, printing and computer facilities.

These timed alternating IT sessions will allow for the thorough cleaning of scanning, printing and computer facilities between each booked session, which will also be restricted in numbers due to the limited physical space available at each branch library.

Please note that the full browsing of the library collection remains unavailable, however library members can continue to enjoy 24/7 access to library e/resources and access the library collection via the click, collect and delivery service.

To find out more about your branch library's IT session times and book your spot in advance, or to access your library's click, collect and delivery service, or to check on the status of council's impacted programs, services and facilities, go to https://www.bellingen.nsw.gov.au/impacted-programs-services-and-facilities.

For example, council's Impacted Programs, Services and Facilities page has recently been updated to identify that the vast majority of council playgrounds, parks with playgrounds, skate parks and sporting and recreational fields have been re-opened in accordance with restrictions as per the most recent Public Health Order.

Similarly, the page also identifies which public toilet amenities are fully serviced and remain open, and those that remain temporarily closed.

Remember, it is important that if you feel unwell, or are displaying flu like symptoms, that you urgently seek medical attention to protect yourself and others and continue to take advantage of the broad range of online and over the phone customer service and library transactions available whenever possible.