Northbrook library closes to public as COVID-19 cases rise

The Northbrook Public Library will be closed to the public for nearly amonth as of Friday, though full remote services remain available.

The temporary close was originally intended as a preventative measure to curb community transmission heading into the holidays, but a positive COVID-19 case among staff sped up the process a few days, according to spokeswoman Linda Vering. As cases surge locally, the library had planned to close temporarily and shift to remote services starting Nov. 16 based on recommendations from the Illinois Department of PublicHealth, Vering said.

Library staff received notification on Thursday, however, that an employee tested positive. According to a release sent out at the end of the day, the employee last interacted with the public on Nov. 6 from 2 to 3 p.m. Dueto privacy laws, officials did not share further details.

“Learning that a staff member tested positive reinforced that we needed to close the building to reduce the number of people,” Vering said Friday.

The closure is expected to last until at least Dec. 8. Staff will reevaluate the situation a week before then to determine if the library should reopen.

The library is closed to the public, so patrons can’t browse materials or use study rooms or computers. Many staff will continue working onsite, though, to provide services like curbside pickup, remote printing and virtual programming will continue.

More information about curbside pickup, delivery services, returning materials, printing and 3D printing, virtual programming, online resources and staff hours can be found or by visiting the library’s website or by calling 847-272-6224.