Queens Public Library Cancels Programs For The Rest Of The Month

UPDATE: All Queens Public Library locations closed Monday, March 16, until further notice.

QUEENS, NY — The Queens Public Library is canceling all public programs and events for the rest of the month in an effort to combat the spread of the new coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19.

The library system, which has 65 locations across the borough, will suspend all programming starting Friday. The cancelations will continue at least through the end of the month, according to library spokesperson Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska.

Library branches across the city will still be open and provide access to books, public computers, Wi-Fi and other resources, including computers dedicated to the 2020 Census.

"The decision to cancel library programs was not taken lightly, as programs such as story times, technology training classes, and English language classes are lifelines for so many," library officials wrote in a news release Thursday. "But considering the current situation, and the need to limit large crowds, this was the most responsible path forward to support the health and well-being of our communities."

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The Queens Public Library joins a growing list of local organizations that have canceled or postponed events due to concerns over spreading the new coronavirus, which the World Health Organization on Wednesday classified as a pandemic.

The Brooklyn Public Library and the New York Public Library system — which oversees public library branches in Manhattan, The Bronx and Staten Island — also suspended all programming through the end of March.

Infectious disease experts say efforts like social distancing measures and canceling events may help slow the spread of the virus so the health care system isn't overwhelmed.

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