Masks Will Be Optional At Greenwich Libraries Beginning March 1

GREENWICH, CT — Beginning March 1, masks will be optional at all Greenwich Libraries.

Greenwich Library said Monday morning that per the Board of Trustees, masks will be optional at its building on West Putnam Avenue, and at its Byram Shubert and Cos Cob branches.

However, masking and proof of vaccination or negative PCR test within 72 hours prior to an event will be in place at the main library's Berkley Theater.

"Over the last two years, we've shifted and adjusted to accommodate our patrons' needs for library services," said Greenwich Library Director Barbara Ormerod-Glynn. "We want to thank the community for their continued support, and we look forward to seeing them as they come into the building."

Ormerod-Glynn said the protocols in place at the theater are consistent with the protocols for visual and performing arts theaters in the county and on Broadway.

Ormerod-Glynn thanked the community for their support over these last two years in the pandemic.

"It's been very uplifting to see how many people have come in to get materials, whether it was no contact pickup, or asking reference questions via our new reference chat, or registering for library cards online instead of in person," she added. "There were any number of ways that we pivoted and adjusted to COVID, and not the least of which was virtual programming, which actually engendered larger numbers of attendees than we've had in the past physically."

In the future, virtual programming figures to still be an option for the community along with in-person audiences for events.

Protocols will be reevaluated by the Library Board of Trustees this spring, the library said.

Although affiliated with Greenwich Library, The Perrot Memorial Library in Old Greenwich is a private 501(c)(3) institution owned by the Perrot Library Association.

Library Director Kevin McCarthy said masks will also be optional beginning Tuesday.

"We have many library visitors who are unvaccinated, and those are our littlest library visitors; pre-schoolers in particular. We're going to change our signs from 'mask required' to 'mask recommended,'" McCarthy said.

McCarthy added that Perrot staff will continue to keep an eye on COVID-19 trends and case numbers.

Also beginning on Tuesday, masks will be optional in Greenwich Public Schools.

According to the most recent update last Friday, there were 13 active cases in the district — 12 students and a teacher.