The Neill Public Library has halted all onsite operations, as well as the home book delivery service due to Gov. Jay Inslee’s stay at home order.

Joanna Bailey, Neill Public Library director, said Pullman community members with library cards still have access to more than 100,000 books and movies online. Residents can read ebooks through Washington Overtime and watch movies through Kanopy.

The library will not charge any overdue fines until the library reopens, she said. Those who already have fines will not have an increased charge.

Those without a library card can call 509-338-3252 or email to get an account set up.

“We’re playing it day-by-day,” Bailey said.

The Neill Public Library and the Pullman Dial-A-Ride worked together for six days to provide 125 residents over 700 items, she said.

The Pullman Dial-A-Ride traveled around Pullman to deliver books and movies to those who requested them from the library.

“We’ve gotten a number of questions hoping that we could still deliver to them,” Bailey said. “That gives you an idea of how popular that delivery service was.”

All of the delivered items were cleaned, sanitized and put into Ziploc bags, she said. The drivers, using gloves, would then drop off the books at the person’s doorstep. 

Three library employees out of the original 28 are working remotely. This equates to the library working at an 11% staff capacity, Bailey said.

“I would like the public to know how hard their city staff is working to provide essential services and to get through all of this right alongside the community,” she said.