Announcing a partial reopening of the Occidental College Library to students, starting March 22, 2021.
Dear Oxy Students:
I am delighted to announce that we will be partially reopening the Library to you this Monday, March 22, for individual quiet study for the remainder of the semester. This comes in response to COVID-19 guidance regarding the reopening of libraries provided by the L.A. County Department of Public Health. We will follow Oxy COVID-19 protocols and guidelines to provide a positive user experience for you and a safe environment for all involved. Our partial reopening will provide you with a great place to study outside of your regular class schedule.
We will be offering 56 individual, socially-distanced study spaces to all currently enrolled Oxy students living on and off campus in five reading rooms of the Hunt (old) Wing of the Library from Monday, March 22 through Thursday, May 6 – a total of seven weeks. We will be open Sunday through Friday, from 3 to 8 p.m., for a total of 30 hours per week.
Access to study spaces will be by reservation only. You should reserve your seat in advance by visiting our reservation system. Here you will be able to select a table seat or soft chair in one of the reading rooms and can complete contactless check in and out at your reserved time. Seats may be reserved for up to five hours per day and will become available beginning at midnight for the following day. Please direct any technical questions to library@oxy.edu.
Entry to and exit from the study spaces will be via the main entrance to the Academic Commons; this includes wheelchair access. We will employ card-swipe entry. Only students who are participating in Oxy’s twice-weekly surveillance testing protocol will be able to enter the building. If you are not currently in the protocol, please contact Emmons to be tested before you visit the Library. Upon entry, you will check in with our Entrance Monitor by giving your name and reservation details and providing evidence that you have completed your daily campus health check.
Cleaning Services staff will sanitize the reading room study spaces and restrooms each day we are open at 2 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m. Sanitizing wipes, trash cans, and hand sanitizer will be provided, should you wish to clean your individual workspaces. Other regularly occupied spaces within the Academic Commons will be sanitized between 8 a.m. and noon daily. Beyond the designated study areas and restrooms, you will not be able to access or utilize other areas within the Library and Academic Commons. Clear signage, stanchions, and tape barriers will facilitate and help you manage safe movement throughout the Hunt Wing.
We ask you to be mindful of your behavior when in the building and respectful of fellow users and Library staff members. We need to work together to maintain a safe and healthy environment for all. The reading rooms are intended to be Hush Zones, providing quiet spaces for individual study. Our expectations include:
- Face masks must be worn at all times within the building
- Adherence to social distancing of at least 6 feet
- Users should not move furniture to alter the seating arrangements or study in groups
- Consumption of food and drink in the building is not permitted
- Users should speak in quiet tones
- No participation in Zoom classes, phone conversations, or other disruptive behaviors
The Library staff will be excited to welcome you back to our facilities next week! If you have any questions about our partial reopening, please email library@oxy.edu.
With best wishes,
Kevin Mulroy
College Librarian