Six libraries and two senior centers in Montgomery County are set to reopen in June after more than a year of being shuttered due to the pandemic.

Six of the county’s 22 libraries located in Bethesda, Gaithersburg, Burtonsville, Olney, Rockville, and Silver Spring will reopen by appointment only, starting June 1st, for browsing, checking out materials, and using computers. Hours of operation will be Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from noon until 8 p.m.. Holiday Park Senior Center in Silver Spring and Damascus Senior Center are also set to reopen, on June 14th. Officials with the county’s department of recreation say they already have hundreds of seniors registered for sports and arts programming. 

“Our library and senior center staff have provided valuable services and resources to our residents throughout this pandemic – in both traditional and innovative ways,”  County Executive Elrich said in a statement. “This reopening process will continue to evolve as many of our buildings and facilities are currently temporarily repurposed for other pandemic-related needs. We appreciate everyone’s continued patience, understanding, and compliance to COVID-19 safe practices while we reopen these buildings.”

The county is the last in the region to reopen its libraries. The District reopened 20 branches in March, Prince George’s reopened in late April, and Fairfax County reopened six weeks ago. All of these counties have higher COVID-19 case counts and positivity rates than Montgomery. As of this week, more than 55% of all county residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine and at least 40% are fully vaccinated, according to county health data.

Elrich told reporters at last week’s press briefing that as the data continues to improve, “reopening things in the county is a priority for us…we want to be thoughtful so we don’t wind up creating more problems.”

He explained late last month that the reason libraries are slow to open is the staffing shortage.

“Without knowing when we would be able to reopen the county, we did not hire people for empty positions that we would then pay for not being able to work in those empty positions,” Elrich said.  The county is in the process of hiring library positions and Elrich says he expects a rolling opening of the county’s other libraries in the coming months.

But Councilman Hans Riemer says Elrich’s plan to reopen only 25% of all county libraries “doesn’t seem like enough of a step forward.”

“I would be more understanding if they opened every library at 25% capacity instead of on an appointment basis,” Riemer told DCist/WAMU. “It’s part of our recovery to help people navigate their own recoveries whether it’s someone who’s unemployed seeking work using library computers or a teenager needing books from the library rather than watching more TV. [Reopening libraries] needs to happen. It’s time.”

Riemer added that there are no public health-based restrictions keeping libraries closed and that it’s up to Elrich to create a staffing plan and reopen libraries.

As part of the county libraries’ ‘Holds To Go’ program,  residents can currently check out books from the library, but need to order them online at home and wait outside the library to pick them up. For those needing access to WiFi and other services the library offers, this program is not ideal.

As for the county’s seven senior centers, the ones in Wheaton and White Oak will continue to be used as vaccination sites. The Long-Branch Senior Center will continued to be used as a homeless shelter. The Margaret Schweinhaut and the North Potomac Senior Centers will be providing summer programming for youth.

“Reopening our facilities safely is one our highest priorities,” Robin Riley, the county’s director of recreation, said in a statement. “COVID-19 has been hard for everyone and our seniors are one of the hardest hit groups.”

Reimer says senior centers need to reopen because of social isolation and the health of the county’s senior population.