Libraries in Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland said they'll remain open during the coronavirus outbreak, in part so that community resources remain available to patrons.
Columbus Metropolitan Library said Wednesday that it’s canceling all classes, programs, meetings and events at its branches through at least March 31.
“We encourage any concerned customers, especially those who are elderly or at a higher risk of contracting this virus, to avoid visiting our library locations if they are feeling ill or concerned about potential exposure,” the library said in a statement.
Library Journal is providing an updated list of event cancellations and changes due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus.
The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County canceled all events and classes through April 3, as well as closed its meeting rooms and halted book donations and returns.
Coronavirus In Ohio: Live Coverage
Library director Paula Brehm-Heeger said Friday that they'll remain open but will begin "social distancing measures" including maintaining physical distance from others and limiting the spacing and availability of computers.
Cleveland Public Library currently has no plans to close any of its 27 branches, but has formed a task force to monitor the situation, said Robin Wood, the library's assistant director of public services.
"We're really taking it on an hour-by-hour, day-by-day basis," Wood said.
Both the Cleveland Public Library and Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) say they're doubling down on cleaning "high traffic" and "high touch" areas such as computer keyboards and circulation desks. All large public events — including author visits and talks — will be canceled.
So far, neither library plans to curtail circulation of physical objects — including books and DVDs — despite research that coronavirus can remain viable on plastic for up to nine days. But both said they would consider imposing a moratorium if the outbreak continues.
Cleveland Public Library gets more than 45,000 visitors per week across its branches, and circulates an average of 47,000 books, DVDs, magazines and CDs per week. CCPL circulates more than 15 million items per year, giving it the highest per capita circulation rate in the nation according to a 2019 analysis by Library Journal.
Library computers are the only way many patrons can get online, Wood said. Branches also offer resources for help filing taxes and registering to vote.
"Being open to the community is important to us and it's important to the community," she said. "So we're looking at this situation very cautiously to make sure that if for some reason we do need to close, it's because we really don't have another choice."
The CCPL, which also has 27 branches, said it, too, plans to keep its buildings open unless advised otherwise by federal or state agencies.
Tracy Strobel, the CCPL's executive director, said she hasn't seen or heard about any drop-off in library usage so far.
"I was just down in the Parma-Snow branch and was saying to my colleague I was surprised how busy it is," Strobel said. "We probably had 18 or 20 people using our computers, you know, at noon on a Wednesday."
That kind of usage is all the more reason, she said, to keep the library's resources available as long as possible.
"People depend on our spaces for internet access, [but also] we're feeding kids after school," Strobel said. "So especially if schools end up closing, we'll be a place kids can turn if they're hungry."
The Ohio Department of Health makes the following recommendations to protect yourself from illness:
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; dry hands with a clean towel or air dry hands.
- Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are unavailable.
- Cover your mouth with a tissue or sleeve when sneezing or coughing. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Avoid contact with people who are sick.
Ohio's coronavirus call center is open to answer questions from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The hotline number is 1-833-4-ASK-ODH or 1-833-427-5634.
