Harris County Public Library officials announced March 17 that all facilities will temporarily be inaccessible for the public. The move was taken for the health and safety of library staff and patrons, officials said.
The transition, which is planned to be in effect through April 1 according to a press release, would include several initiatives to allow for limited and no-contact services, such as:
- Curbside library holds pickup;
- Curbside grab-and-go program kits;
- Online programs and story times through Facebook or YouTube;
- Loan renewal and book requests;
- eBook, comic and graphic novel downloads through OverDrive;
- Streaming of classic films, indie cinema, and award-winning documentaries on Kanopy;
- Audiobook downloads through RBDigital or OverDrive;
- Picture book downloads on TumbleBooks;
- Communication with staff members via phone or email;
- Book recommendations; and
- Online library card registration.
Officials said late fees will not be issued during this time, and due dates during the closure will be extended. Visit www.hcpl.net for more information.
Originally posted March 13 at 12:48 p.m.
To help curb the spread of coronavirus, Harris County Public Library has canceled all library programs and events through March 31. However, most branch locations will be open for normal business hours unless otherwise announced, officials said in a press release March 13.
Lone Star College-Cy-Fair Branch Library will be closed through Sunday, March 22, and the Lone Star College-Tomball Community Library will be closed effective Saturday, March 14, through Sunday, March 22.
Those who have reserved meeting rooms through the end of the month will receive an email notifying them of cancellations.
“HCPL regrets for any inconvenience these cancelations may cause, but the safety of our patrons and staff must be the library’s top priority,” the press release stated.
Visit www.hcpl.net for the most up-to-date information.
