Hawaii State Libraries To Close On Wednesday Due To COVID Outbreak

State officials today announced that all branches of the State of Hawaii Public Library will be closed to the public on Wednesday, starting this week, due to high rates of COVID- infection. 19.

The closures are temporary as the state faces high infection rates from the Delta variant, according to a press release from the Hawaii State Public Library System.

According to State Librarian Stacey Aldrich, the measures reflect efforts to minimize gatherings during the outbreak and address staff shortages.

“While it is difficult for us not to be open to our communities, the high level of cases due to the contagious Delta variant is forcing us to congregate less at this time to minimize exposure,” Aldrich said in a E-mail. “This temporary schedule change is designed to support the health and safety of our customers and staff. During the pandemic, our library system provided services with fewer staff and budget constraints. Staff will be able to use this time to perform required inventory maintenance and prepare thousands of new and returned items that are processed daily for use. We will continue to monitor the environmental situation and thank everyone for their patience and support. “

HSPLS reminds the public that its digital doors are always open at libraryshawaii.org.