Prince William Public Libraries To Close For Vaccination Efforts

MANASSAS, VA — As the local rollout of the coronavirus vaccines continues, Prince William Public Libraries announced Thursday that its staff will be volunteering with efforts to get more shots in arms of residents, which will force some county library facilities to close and shift to curbside pickup service only beginning Monday.

Library staff will be assisting with the Prince William Health District and Prince William COVID-19 vaccine call centers, officials said. Staff members will be assisting with vaccination appointment scheduling and will also with helping provide general phone support.

Several library branches — including those at Bull Run, Central, Chinn Park, Haymarket Gainesville, Montclair, and Potomac branch libraries have been opened to the public since last summer. But with staff members scheduled to assist with vaccinations, those locations will close, officials said.

Although library buildings will not be open to the public, other services will remain available, library officials said. Library customers may schedule pickup services by calling their normal library branch or by scheduling an appointment at the library system’s website.

• Bull Run, Central, Chinn Park, Haymarket Gainesville Manassas City, Montclair, Potomac will operate from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday
• Dale City, Dumfries, Independent Hill, Lake Ridge and Nokesville will operate 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Saturday and those locations will be closed Friday and Sunday.

Curbside pick-up service was first offered shortly after the coronavirus pandemic began and remains a popular service, library officials said. The library system’s virtual programming has also remained popular throughout the pandemic and offered more than 4,600 programs since March and has been attended virtually by 634,000 people, officials said.