Missoula Library opening May 3, with precautions

After months of waiting, Missoula readers will finally be able to see, and use, the inside of the new Missoula Public Library. But they’ll still have to follow coronavirus safety guidelines, at least to begin with.

Library staff completed moving from the old library into the new facility last summer, shifting thousands of books and other materials. And although the multi-million dollar facility has been in use since September, library patrons couldn’t go inside because of the pandemic.

However, that’s finally going to change May 3rd. Thursday evening, library trustees approved re-opening, with health department precautions. That means limits on hours of operation and the number of people in the building. Plus, the library has been advised to continuing requiring masks for staff and public, even if vaccinated.