Columbus Metropolitan Library will again close their doors to the public because of the spike in COVID-19 cases.
For the last month or so, the public could go inside several library locations around the city to use services like computers, faxes or copiers.
Now, as Franklin County records spikes in new COVID-19 cases, the library system is rolling back their reopening plan and closing buildings once again.
"Based on recent guidelines from the governor's office and warnings from local and state health departments, we’ve made the decision to scale back some of that phased re-opening," says Ben Zenitski, a spokesman for Columbus Metropolitan Library.
Zenitski says they felt it was neccessary to close to protect patrons and staff members.
"We have millions of volumes of community materials that are taken into people's homes and touched, and then they’re brought back into the building," he says. "In the context of a global pandemic, we need to be very thoughtful and very careful about how we are operating."
Zenitski says the buildings that are re-closing will now offer curbside pick-up and dropoff. Curbside services are available at all library locations except for two, Hilltop and South High, which are both under constructions.
