Lori Goetsch, dean of libraries, said Hale Library will not be open to students for the rest of the semester.
“The decision to close the libraries was part of the larger decision [made] by university administration to close down campus for the protection of students, faculty and staff,” she said via email.
She said Hale Library and its branches are environments where people would be challenged to practice the social distancing that is highly recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“We regret that we can’t be open for the students who remain on campus, but are providing many services electronically including information resources and ‘ask a librarian’ which [respond] to questions via email, chat, and phone,” Goetsch said.
While the first floor of Hale reopened last fall, the second floor of the library was originally scheduled to open on Monday morning when students were supposed to be returning from spring break. The second floor reopening has been postponed until further notice.
“In the meantime, work continues on Hale Library,” Goetsch said. “We were ready to open the second floor on Monday as planned, so when we reopen, it will be [the] first and second floors that are available.”
