Trinity’s libraries will operate at reduced capacity in the coming weeks as measures are put in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
The measures are being put in place after College announced yesterday that lectures would be suspended for the rest of the semester.
In an email statement to The University Times, Caoimhe Ní Lochlainn, the head of library communications, said: “We are looking how best to implement the guidelines on social distancing, with the recommended 1 metre between our readers.”
“This will reduce capacity in the Library and the University will be looking at alternative spaces elsewhere in the College for study”, she said.
It’s not clear if the libraries will removed seats in order to meet the social distancing guidelines.
In an email students and staff yesterday, Helen Shenton, a librarian and college archivist, said that “the Berkeley, Lecky, Ussher (BLU) Libraries, the Hamilton Library, the John Stearne Medical Library, the Early Printed Books and Manuscript Reading Rooms are all open and operating with the usual opening hours”.
“There are already measures in place, such as hand sanitisers at the entrances of the libraries and wipes for keyboards at PC clusters”, Shenton wrote. “We will also be implementing recommended ‘social distancing’ arrangements across the libraries from this week, encouraging the use of self-service machines and book return bin, [and] encouraging online renewals via My Library Account.”
She added: “We will continue to provide Library updates and keep our staff and readers up to date if the situation changes.”
Students and staff were informed yesterday that in-person lectures would be suspended for the rest of the semester to limit the number of large crowds gathered on campus. In addition, the Book of Kells exhibition, the Science Gallery and the Douglas Hyde gallery have been closed.
Though College said in the email that seminars, tutorials and laboratory sessions would be continuing as normal, several departments have opted to suspend these as well.
Last week, Provost Patrick Prendergast confirmed in an email to staff and students that a person in Trinity had contracted the virus. Another email, sent on Sunday, said that “the member of the college community who was diagnosed with the coronavirus appears to have made a good recovery”.
The email, sent by College Secretary John Coman and Acting Director of College Health Dr Niamh Farrelly, also said that no new cases have been diagnosed in Trinity since.
