Faced with the unprecedented circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 novel virus, King County Library System (KCLS) has made the difficult decision to close all of its libraries effective Friday, March 13 at 6pm until at least April 13. Like our neighboring library systems in Seattle, and Pierce and Snohomish Counties, this decision was made out of the utmost concern for the health, safety, and well-being of our patrons, staff, and the community at-large.
During the physical closure of our buildings, we encourage patrons to use KCLS online services and resources. In addition, we plan to:
• Explore ways to provide limited services in the near future and will communicate those options as soon as possible
• Allow patrons to keep their items currently checked out until we reopen or until further notice.
• Extend due dates on holds pick up to April 30.
• Waive late fees accrued between March 1 – April 30.
Plans are being made for library staff to continue to work and be paid during the closure period. As the situation continues to evolve, KCLS will follow mandates from Governor Inslee and Public Health—Seattle and King County in order to assess when it is safe to reopen our libraries to the public. You can find updates at kcls.org/covid-19.
Public libraries have always been about community, and the safety of our communities is paramount. We value your understanding of our decision during this challenging time.
