Announcement regarding public health measures

Dear Library supporter and friend,

As the world faces considerable challenges related to the coronavirus, the American Library continues to monitor the situation closely. As a community anchor, we strive foremost to provide vital resources while ensuring the health, safety, and wellbeing of our community, as we have done for the past century and through different challenges.

Last night, President Macron announced that all day cares, schools, and universities in France will be closing. He also called for the protection of our most vulnerable populations. In line with these measures and based on current science and guidelines published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the French Ministry of Health, and the World Health Organization, the Library is taking the following steps:

Closing the use of the facility as a study and research space and for small group meetings (such as book groups and conversation circles), with effect from 10h on Saturday 14 March. We will continue to remain open for book lending, subject to protections designed to ensure the safety of our users.
Suspending all evening adult programming and writing workshops.
Suspending programs for children and teens and switching to virtual programs when possible, effective immediately. This includes the Saturday 14 March program at 15h, which has been cancelled. Please see the website for more information about each program.
Providing virtual reference and information assistance. Research librarians may be reached at info@americanlibraryinparis.org
Increasing book loan periods and the number of renewals available and waiving fines for late returns.
Postponing The Library After Dark fundraiser. Supporters who donated will be contacted individually.

We have not taken any of these decisions lightly, and every measure is implemented with the safety of the community in mind. For now, we are able to maintain book lending. Our robust virtual collection of resources and services, and reference librarian guidance, remain available. We hope that individuals and families take advantage of our vast collection of electronic resources during this time:

Learn a language with Mango.
Flip through the latest magazines with rb digital.
Check out a bestseller with NoveList and Ebook Central.
Do research with peer-reviewed sources with JSTOR.
Listen to the Library’s programs via YouTube and our new podcast, Evenings with an Author, available wherever you get your podcasts.