3 Harlem Libraries Reopen For Browsing, Computer Use

HARLEM, NY — After being limited for months to grab-and-go service, three public library branches are among dozens across the city that reopened Monday for expanded services.

As of Monday, the reopened branches are offering browsing and computer use, allowing patrons to peruse library shelves for the first time since they shut down last spring as the coronavirus swept the city.

The three Harlem library branches that reopened Monday are:

• 125th Street Library (224 East 125th St., between Second and Third avenues)
• Harry Belafonte 115th Street Library (203 West 115th St., near Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Boulevard)
• Countee Cullen Library (104 West 136th St., near Malcolm X Boulevard)

Shelf-browsing will be capped at limited periods of time, and computers can be accessed by appointment, the New York Public Library said in a news release. All patrons must wear masks, maintain social distancing and respect the time limits.

"This is another one of these turning point moments: to have the libraries back for everyone," Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a Monday news conference.

These three Harlem branches all reopened for grab-and-go pickups and returns between July and August. They were chosen for their size, proximity to public transportation and building condition, the library said.

More branches will reopen in the summer, and the city's libraries are hoping to fully reopen "as soon as possible in 2021," according to a news release.

"From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Library has worked to safely offer New Yorkers the resources and services that we know they need. It has been a long, challenging year, and we are eager to restore library service to some semblance of normalcy," said New York Public Library President Anthony W. Marx said in a statement.

"This expansion of service — including computer use, critical for patrons who do not have internet access at home — is a significant and welcome step in that direction."