(Updated Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 2:21pm)
Dear Livingston Library Patrons,
The current public health concern involving the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is continuing to unfold. The Livingston Public Library has been working closely with local and state authorities to make decisions that prioritize public health and safety. We have followed with concern the spread of the COVID-19 virus and our staff has been working to develop responses to the various challenges presented by the virus.
Out of an abundance of caution, all Library programs will be canceled or postponed through March 31st.
Please note that at this time, these are only precautionary measures as we consider and care for the safety of our patrons. In this period of uncertainty and ever-changing developments, we urge you to visit our website for updates
What We’re Doing
We urge anyone who is sick or anyone at high-risk not to attend any public events or visit the Library. Persons at high-risk for severe COVID-19 illness include people over the age of 60, people with underlying health conditions such as heart disease, lung disease or diabetes, people with diabetes and women who are pregnant. As always we encourage all Library visitors to maintain health habits, such as frequent hand washing.
We have rearranged seating and computers wherever possible to institute the CDC standard of social distancing in public spaces. While in the library, we recommend people keep at least six feet apart from one another and avoid close contact including handshakes and hugging. All toys have been removed from the Children’s Library.
Since part of our mission is to keep a civically engaged community informed, staff members are ready to help the public assess the veracity of information being shared online about the virus. We continue to rely on information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and recommend that members of the public use the CDC website as their primary source of information.
As of now, the Library building remains open. Study and meeting rooms will remain closed until further notice. We encourage patrons to not worry about returning materials late. All Livingston items are fine free and due to the current situation we will be flexible about materials from other libraries.
Your Questions Answered
The Library building is cleaned each day at closing. This cleaning includes a wiping down with a cleaning solution of hard surfaces contacted by our customers.
Our materials are usually not cleaned when they are returned to the Library or after they are used in the building unless they show visible signs of damage, such as a stain. We do not have sufficient resources to safely and efficiently clean the thousands of items returned every day.
Recognizing the central role of the Library in the community, it is always our intention to remain open as many hours as we can safely be of service. That said, we are planning for sudden and unexpected closures that are in the best interest of the health of the community.
Moving forward we will continue to monitor the situation carefully, evaluate the severity of risk to the community, and cancel events as deemed appropriate. We will provide updates and links to information as it becomes available. In the meantime, you can access information about COVID-19 here.
-Amy, Director