March 16, 2020

UPDATE: The library will close at 5 pm on Monday, March 16, and Tuesday, March 17.

As of Monday, March 16, the library will remain open, providing our core services during this public health crisis.

Access to computers and the internet are crucial services to city residents so they can stay informed and communicate with family and friends. In addition the library will be a critical resource for families whose children are out of school for extended periods of time.

With that in mind the library administration is working with the mayor’s office and the Public Health Department to stay up to date on the best practices to minimize or prevent the spread of the virus.

Preventive measures at the library

Besides good prevention practices like frequent hand washing and sanitizing door handles and other surfaces, we are implementing the following measures :

• A hand sanitizing station has been set up  near the entry doors, we encourage customers to use it when arriving and leaving the library  (while supplies last!).
• As long as supplies last, customers may request a sanitizing wipe from the Information Services desk to wipe down computer keyboards and mice before using them.
• All of our public restrooms are now outfitted with paper towel dispensers instead of air blowers for hand drying.
• Tissues are available at all service desks for customers to use when touching surfaces or shared objects.
• Library staff will no longer be loaning pens; golf pencils are available for customers to use and keep.
• Staplers and tape dispensers and other shared items will no longer be made available at service desks.
• Most library programs will continue to be held as scheduled, including all story times, although we are modifying them to minimize any risk to staff or participants. Our schedule of programs will be reviewed weekly so we can assess which need to be cancelled or further modified. We encourage our customers to follow the advice of their own healthcare providers regarding attendance at our programs and events.
• Some programs have been canceled at the request of presenters, by our partner agencies, or by the library because they are targeted at high-risk individuals. The library will update our online calendar and any in-house postings with these changes.

How to keep informed

Please subscribe to our email newsletter so you can stay up to date during this rapidly changing situation. We’ll use this newsletter to let you know of changes in our hours, program cancellations, and additions to our online services.

Library services you can use remotely

There are many ways that our customers can continue to use our services from home with their library card. Visit our eMedia page for a list of all the streaming and downloadable content that we offer, or log in to our catalog anytime to place holds on books and movies: Library staff will happily retrieve these materials for you and have them ready and waiting on the hold shelf for you to pick up. Don’t have a library card yet? You can apply for one online and start using our online content immediately.