JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- After two confirmed cases of COVID-19 among staff members, the Jeffersonville Township Public Library is closing both its branches.
Two staff members received positive results on Monday.
The library's board of directors decided to temporarily close both the Jeffersonville and Clarksville branches after being notified of the cases.
"Our number one priority is the safety of our community and our customers, so that's what we're looking out for right now," said library director David Seckman.
Both branches have followed strict protocols during the pandemic.
Seckman said both branches quarantine books for three days after they're returned, all surfaces are sanitized multiple times a day and seating has been reduced and rearranged to ensure social distancing is followed.
However, the director knows that positive cases are hard to avoid when staff is going back and forth between branches.
"The problem is we share a lot of staff between the two buildings, so a lot of our staff go back and forth," Seckman said. "There's a lot of collaboration between staff as well. We felt like, just to be safe, we should head to online only services until we can reevaluate the situation."
Books can still be returned by leaving them at the book drop in front of the library. However, staff says if anyone is uncomfortable returning books right now that no late fee will be assessed.
The public can still access e-books and audio books, as well as other recorded material on the library's website. To visit that website, click here.
Seckman says he and the board will reevaluate the library's plans following the Thanksgiving holiday.
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