QUEUES to have babies officially named, or to return borrowed books might be likely as libraries and registry offices open in Oxfordshire from Monday.

Oxfordshire County Council will begin opening some registry offices and libraries from Monday, July 13, with others opening later as part of a phased approach.

Among the first libraries to reopen next week will be the County Library, Oxford, Abingdon, Thame, Witney, Bicester and Didcot.

Bodicote House, Banbury will open its registry office for appointments and ceremonies on July 13, as will Didcot Library Registration Office.

Tidmarsh Lane registry office, Oxford will open for ceremonies on July 14.

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A statement on the return of these services released by the council said that services will 'look very different for staff and customers'.

It added: "With controlled numbers being able to enter buildings customers may sometimes need to queue to get in. Customers will be requested to limit their enjoyment of browsing, borrowing and returning their library materials to 30 minutes."

Oxford Mail:

Oxfordshire County Library at the Westgate Centre, Oxford, closed during the coronavirus lockdown. Picture: Pete Hughes

For those who need access to computers and Wi-Fi in libraries, time will be limited to 30 minutes.

There is discretion for staff to extend that 30 minutes if a customer is part way through a Universal Credit application or something similar.

Printing, scanning and photocopying will be available and bus pass and blue badge validation will be available.

Payments will need to be made by card or online; however, photocopiers will still be operated by coin.

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Alongside this, most soft seating and tables will be removed, staff will stand behind perspex screens to respond to customers queries, and public toilets will not be available.

Face-to-face community sessions like rhyme time will not be reinstated yet, but are still being run online.

There is no date announced yet for the reopening of the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock.

Lorraine Lindsay-Gale, county council cabinet member for education and cultural services said: “All of us at the council appreciate how highly valued our cultural facilities are and we join residents in looking forward to mid-July when we will begin to see the re-opening. We will keep everyone up to date on our website and via social media whenever a new re-opening is due and also on the safety arrangements that have been put in place.”

The full list of opening times

Dates for libraries

The following libraries will reopen on the week commencing July 13

• Abingdon:

• County Library, Oxford:

• Thame

• Witney

• Bicester

• Didcot

The following libraries will reopen on the week commencing July 20

• Banbury

• Cowley

• Carterton

• Henley

• Kidlington

Dates for the reopening of libraries elsewhere in Oxfordshire will be published in due course.

Dates for registration offices

• Tidmarsh Lane, Oxford (ceremonies): July 14

• Bodicote House, Banbury (appointments and ceremonies): July 13

• Didcot Library Registration Office: July 13

• Henley: July 17

Dates for the reopening of Registration Offices elsewhere in Oxfordshire will be published in due course.