Scottdale has narrow borders resulting in a long, vertically-shaped city. Growth is focused south and pushes north as the population expands. There are four library branches: one main branch in the south, a medium branch in the center and two small branches in the north. When libraries opened on a limited basis, only the two larger buildings were able to open. Due to insufficient staff, the northern branches are not able to open. For Appaloosa Library, that means over a 20-mile commute to gain access to library amenities.

• Work with IT, Municipal Security and City Management to mitigate concerns.
• Conduct audit of space for redesign of signage, items and furniture location.
• Conduct safety audit to set up areas that encourage safe distances, efficient/timely use and cleaning of shared surfaces.
• Plan education piece and agreement of use for patrons to set up expectations.
• Track circulation and gate counts against time periods of past normal operations and of closure for volume of service, effectiveness and next steps.

We anticipate an increase of circulation and visitors to this branch. Success could lead to partnering with other city departments that must set up buildings to accommodate community growth (such as the Fire Dept). A single, unstaffed room adjacent to a building equipped with Open+ gives at the very minimum access to the entire system’s collection. The successful application of Open+ stabilizes basic library amenities and insulates the community from loss of building access in economic downturns.