Guilford College’s Hege Library has reopened! Access via card swipe will be allowed by reservation only. Due to the pandemic, Guilford has introduced several new safety measures to ensure student safety in the library, and now that Hege’s doors are wide open, it’s important for students to abide by these new rules.

Hege Library is a popular spot on campus, serving as both a quiet place to study and a vast well of knowledge for struggling students. To access library books while following social distancing rules, all you have to do is request a pick-up from Hege’s terrace and you’ll be contacted within 48 hours to pick up your books. You can place a request via the library catalogue, or email the library ([email protected]) and provide the information for the book(s) that you need.

In terms of computer access, all students entering Hege will be able to use the printing machines, but students will be asked to bring their own computers. This will be operating on the honor system, so it’s important to maintain social distancing and sanitation guidelines when using these devices.

The library will now be accessible from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. In between these time blocks, the staff will need all students to exit the library so that they can clean the building for the next time block. Physical library stacks are closed for retrieval

Although Hege’s operations may look different, 2020 has been a year of new experiences that have pushed many of us out of our comfort zones. It’s important to remember that the availability of these resources is a gift. Guilford staff and students have been quite prudent thus far in keeping campus a safe place for students, and in order to maintain this safety, everyone has to follow these restrictions and rules.

The reopening of Hege Library is a symbol of what the future could look like if we follow Guilford’s safety plan for COVID-19. We can’t just jump back to the way things were before the virus, but we can slowly ease our way there. Hege’s reopening is a step in the right direction, and it’s up to all of us on campus to make sure we keep moving in that direction.