Anne Arundel County Libraries Reducing In-Person Hours, Citing 'Hundreds' Of Instances Of Visitors Not Wearing Masks, Social Distancing

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Anne Arundel County Public Library branches will reduce in-person hours in favor of curbside and digital service next week, officials said Thursday.

Beginning Monday, all 16 branches will move to a curbside model with some virtual services available, including wireless printing and outdoor Wi-Fi.

The move comes after staff members documented "hundreds" of instances of visitors not wearing masks or following social distancing rules. The county's health department also reportedly voiced concerns about the virus being transmitted in staff workrooms.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: 

"Since opening on July 6, our staff have experienced unacceptable behavior from a small number of customers who refuse to follow laws on mask usage and social distancing," AACPL CEO Skip Auld said in a news release. "Some library employees have even been cursed at and breathed on in a deliberate attempt to do them harm. Our staff must be able to feel safe in order to successfully operate our libraries."

In-person services are set to resume September 8.

For the latest information, click here.

For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.