CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Book Rack in South Charlotte opened last week after Mecklenburg County leaders deemed bookstores essential. The owner says they have made a lot of changes to enhance social distancing and keep people safe.

“People are desperate for something to do when they are home,” The Book Rack owner Jeanne Dowd, said.  “I have heard from so many customers, who say, ‘I have run out of all my books, I got to have new ones.’”

The reason Mecklenburg County deemed the store essential is because they sell educational books.

“We have history books, we have reference books, we have kids reference books, and we have teaching books,” Dowd said.

Since reopening, Dowd said there are limits to the number of people inside. The building is 5,000 square feet, so they could allow 25 people at a time, but Dowd said they are only allowing 15. Store workers have also put down floor markings for six feet of distance by the cash register and they ask everyone who goes inside to please wear a mask.

“If they don’t have masks, we have some available for them to use,” Dowd said.

The biggest change is how they’re handling the used books they buy. Instead of putting those books on the shelves right away, each book bought will be put in boxes to sit for at least a week.

“That way there is no transmission of virus,” Dowd said. “The longest they found the virus living on anything is 72 hours.”

Employees at The Book Rack are also posting pictures of their inventory on their Facebook page with the hashtag #browsingathome.

Customers can call or email to ask about available books for sale too.

“We are offering a pick up option,” Dowd said. “They can pay over the phone and we will bring the books out to their car or leave them on the sidewalk outside the store, depending on how they want to do it.”