Charlotte Mecklenburg Library will close all branches due to coronavirus outbreak
All Charlotte Mecklenburg Library branches closed Tuesday until further notice as the novel coronavirus outbreak escalates, according to a press release.
There will be no fines for borrowed items and return dates will be extended, the library system tweeted Monday evening.
Free digital resources will continue to be available, however. That includes a wide range of e-books, audiobooks, movies, music, newspapers and magazines.
“To protect the health and safety of our Library employees and customers from the spread of COVID-19, we made the difficult decision to close Library locations,” Lee Keesler, the CEO of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, said in the release. “Our organization’s heart is in public service, but at this moment public safety requires our greater attention. We hope to re-open our Libraries soon.”
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library said it will extend WiFi signals at all branches “to reach the perimeter of the facility” 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During the closures, library staff will oversee online chats for those navigating the system’s website.
Library spokeswoman Ann Stawski said Tuesday that details about employee compensation and sick leave while the branches are closed are being worked out.
Stawski said the library will use social media to highlight online resources people might not know about.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools students can log in to the library’s “ONE Access” program with their student account numbers. Educational offerings include science databases, language programs and encyclopedias, she said.
The library closure announcement follows a series of sweeping closures as public health officials limit mass gatherings and promote what’s known as social distancing to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
For example, Mecklenburg County said on Friday it would close the Homeless Resource Center at 618 N. College St., as well as all Park and Recreation senior centers.
Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Gibbie Harris signed an order Monday banning all gatherings of more than 50 people, as North Carolina continues to struggle with limited testing capacity for the novel coronavirus. Restrictions tied to the coronavirus pandemic escalated Tuesday as Gov. Roy Cooper ordered bar and restaurants to close by 5 p.m. — except for takeout and delivery.
All 10 branches of Gaston County’s public library system are closed for at least the next three weeks as well, according to a county spokesperson.
Library cards are free for all Mecklenburg County residents. For more information, visit the library’s website.
This story was originally published March 16, 2020 at 6:45 PM.