As part of its phased reopening amid COVID-19 outbreak, the Delhi University will allow research scholars and faculty members to access four more libraries across its campuses. After allowing access to the central library last week, the varsity reopened the Central Science Library, Ratan Tata Library, South Delhi Campus Library, and Faculty of Law Library for PhD/ MPhil scholars and faculty members on Monday.

It announced that users will have to make prior registration to use the library facilities from 10 am to 4 pm on week days. “Library facilities under Delhi University Library System (DULS) will be made operational in phases. In the first phase, only bona fide faculty members, PhD/MPhil scholars will be allowed to use library reading room facilities. The reading room facilities would be limited from 10 am to 4 pm during the week days i.e. Monday to Friday,” the university said in a notice. Visitors will have to take permission through e-mail to the librarian before visiting the library.

For the central library, all reading rooms on research floor and three rooms on the ground floor will be available for the visitors. At the Central Science Library, two reading rooms on the first floor will be made available to the visitors, it said. The Ratan Tata Library at the Delhi School of Economics will make the reading hall at the ground floor and the periodical section at first floor accessible to visitors.

While all the floors of the South Delhi Campus Library can be accessed by research scholars, the reading hall at the ground floor and first floor of the Faculty of Law Library will be available to visitors, the notice stated. The library will also allow its members to borrow and return books and no 'late return fine' would be charged for the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While it advised the staff handling books to wear gloves, visitors have also been instructed to carry gloves and hand sanitiser and maintain social distancing. “The user/staff who does not adhere to the guidelines would face disciplinary action like cancellation of membership and more,” it said.

The Delhi University (DU) had announced reopening its campus and colleges from February 1 for final-year students who require access to facilities for practical purposes. Schools, colleges and universities across the country were closed in March last year to contain the spread of coronavirus.