Madison Public Library is committed to the health and safety of our staff and the public, and are working closely with the City of Madison and Public Health of Madison and Dane County to monitor developing information and to be proactive and take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  We want to alert you to key changes the Library has made to protect the health of our patrons and staff while still providing essential library services.

Libraries remain open

While our libraries are public spaces with a lot of foot traffic and the potential for germ transmission, our libraries are also critical resources for information and internet access, voter registration, in-person absentee voting, distance education, and a place with resources for people to fill out their 2020 Census forms.  At this time, all Madison Public Library locations will be open regular hours and providing regular library services.  

We are increasing health signage in our libraries, and providing sanitizer and tissues throughout our spaces.  We have increased the frequency of cleanings of our buildings and high-touch surfaces within our buildings, as well as educated our staff about best practices for healthy workplaces and public spaces.  We are implementing practices in customer service intended to limit the amount of personal contact and increase social distancing in our libraries.  We are also sharing CDC and Public Health Madison & Dane County guidelines for people who should limit their exposure with the public, and staff who fall in those categories are being offered alternative work arrangements.
 

 

Many events will be cancelled

Effective Monday, March 16, we are cancelling all library-led events indefinitely.  This includes all library storytimes and regular programs run by our library staff.  This decision was made based on public health concerns as well as predicted staffing availability.  We are also following guidelines recommended by the Governor of Wisconsin and the Public Health Madison & Dane County and cancelling all community events in our libraries that have an expected audience of 250 or more effective immediately, including the Grand Opening Weekend events at the new Pinney Library on 516 Cottage Grove Road scheduled for March 14 and 15.

Our libraries are used by many community groups to host meetings, classes and events as well.  Many of these events will still occur in our libraries, but any partner-sponsored event or meeting may be canceled or rescheduled at the discretion of the organizer.  As of today, we are still hosting many partner-sponsored events of less than 250 persons, including in-person absentee voting (beginning Monday, March 23), tax assistance, and census-related events.  Please check our calendar for upcoming closings, or call any open library for updates.  We will be updating our public calendar as quickly as we receive notice or make cancellation decisions.

As an agency of the City of Madison, we will continue to follow directives for service provision and events from the Mayor's Office, Public Health of Madison & Dane County, and the State of Wisconsin.  

Planning ahead

The library is re-evaluating its services regularly based on staffing levels and recommendations from the City of Madison and Public Health Madison & Dane County.  We will continue to communicate updates through a special web page dedicated to coronavirus updates from the library.  You can also follow the library on Facebook or Twitter for updates.

Library services online

During this challenging time we want to remind you that many library resources are available to you even if you don't visit our libraries.  We have ebooks and downloadable audiobooks, online magazines and newspapers, and other online resources available 24/7 with your current library card.

We know these changes will impact you and we will continue to share updates and changes.  In the meantime, you can stay informed through credible sources such Public Health Madison & Dane County, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).