Gwinnett Libraries To Close Thursday For All But Curbside Pickup

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — Gwinnett County’s public libraries will close Thursday for all but curbside holds pickup service.

In a post to the library system’s website, officials said they based their decision on the number of Gwinnett residents who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 — more than any other county in Georgia — and the “rising number” of patrons who don’t wear masks.

“As dedicated as we are to providing library service, we have reached the point where full service is too great a risk to both customers and staff,” library officials said in the post.

Library hours remain 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

In addition:

• Hold periods will return to 21 days
• Book drops will remain open
• Three-week checkout periods and overdue fees will continue
• Branches involved in food distribution will continue the service
• Wi-fi access points will be moved to the front of the building, increasing reach for those in the parking lots

The announcement follows the Duluth branch closing on July 15 after an employee there tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, all staff who were in contact with the employee have self-quarantined. None of them will return until receiving two negative tests for the coronavirus.

At the time, the library system posted on its website that the risk of patrons catching the coronavirus from staffers “is assumed to be extremely low.”

The Duluth branch remains entirely closed for now.

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