WENATCHEE – Barbara Walters, Executive Director of North Central Regional Library announced Friday evening that all libraries in Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan and Ferry counties will be closed starting Monday, March 16 at 8 p.m. The closure, is expected to remain in effect until at least April 24.

Walters wrote, “As you may have seen on the news this afternoon, Governor Inslee has issued a statewide order closing schools, canceling public gatherings, and enforcing social distancing. When schools are closed, our public libraries have always become gathering places for children and their families. As a result, there isn’t a way for us to remain open while ensuring the safety of our staff and members of our communities.”

During the closure of libraries, NCRLis making the following changes:

• All due dates have been automatically extended until April 24. As always, we don’t have any late fees.
• Our Mail Order Library will continue mailing library materials. All library card holders in our service area can request items to be mailed to their house. Instructions can be found here.
• We encourage everyone to explore the many online resources and digital materials available on our website. We have ebooks, audiobooks, video streaming, magazines, newspapers, and a lot more.
• Plans are being made for library staff to continue to work and be paid during the closure period.
• We will explore ways to provide limited services in the near future, and will communicate those options as soon as possible.
• Updates about our response to the COVID-19 outbreak and how it affects library services can be found at ncrl.org/coronavirus.

“Public libraries have always been about community, and the safety of our communities is paramount. We value your continued support during this challenging time,” Walters said.