LIBRARIES are set to open in just under two weeks’ time after three months of closure.

Trafford’s libraries are set to re-open from July 6 as lockdown begins to ease.

Altrincham, Sale and Urmston libraries have all been thoroughly cleaned and will initially open from 10am till 4pm Mondays to Saturdays.

All of Trafford’s libraries closed on Monday, March 23, as a result of the pandemic and all staff were deployed, wherever possible, to support other services.

Some staff were then involved in phoning over 6,000 residents who were shielding across the borough to see if they needed help.

The libraries will be offering slightly different services in the first phase of re-opening to maintain social distancing guidelines and protect the safety of staff and customers.

People will be able to return the library books they borrowed before the libraries closed, borrow more books by using the new ‘Order and Collect’ service and also pre-book to use the public computers if they don’t have access to computers at home.

Library customers will be asked to queue outside and will be allowed to enter on a ‘one in, one out’ basis.

Once inside, they will be asked to put their returned books on trolleys that will be in the entrance and/or pick up their new books from a table, also in the entrance.

Customers who have pre-booked to use the computers will follow a one way system to ensure social distancing.

All returned books will be placed in quarantine for 72 hours, as recommended by Public Health England, before they will be made available for other customers.

Cllr Liz Patel, the council's leisure cabinet member, said: "Libraries are of huge importance to Trafford Council and we are really pleased that we can resume some of our services again."