Scarsdale Library To Close Due To Coronavirus Concerns

SCARSDALE, NY — The Scarsdale Public Library is shutting down for a while due to concerns about the new coronavirus. Library officials said the facility will be closed to the public effective 6 p.m. Friday. They are hoping to reopen Monday, March 23.

"This decision was not made easily as we know how important the Library and the services we provide are to our community," a Neighbor Post by Scarsdale Public Library said. "We have considered the fact that a significant portion of our patrons are especially vulnerable to this virus," which is officially known as COVID-19.

"We know that closing the library to patrons may present a hardship to many of you, so please let us know via email if there are specific needs this creates, and we will do our best to help you find other ways to meet them. Staff will be monitoring the library's email account at scaref@wlsmail.org and will attempt to answer questions you may have at this time."

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All scheduled programs and events are canceled, and circulation of physical materials will be suspended.

The library asks that you not return any borrowed materials at this time, and do not leave any items outside the library. The book drop is locked, library officials said.

If you leave materials outside, you will be charged for their replacement costs. However, fine incurred during this period will be waived.

There will be a deep cleaning of the library while it is closed to the public.

There is an extensive collection of online services including eBooks, eAudios, downloadable magazines and movies on the library's website.

Additionally, starting Friday, libraries in the Westchester Library System will suspend all intralibrary and interlibrary loans for the foreseeable future. As several of our communities are now compromised by COVID-19, and very little is known definitively about how long the virus lives on nonporous surfaces, we believe it is in the best interest of our staff, patrons and the public health of the county to take this step immediately.

This means Scarsdale patrons will no longer be receiving holds from other libraries and the library will no longer be sending its items to others. However, patrons may still return items to any library in the Westchester Library System and may check out items at any library. Holds placed during this suspension period will become active when the suspension is lifted.

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