Seymour High School senior Ethan Brady gets a library card with the help from library employee Bobby Marley on Friday at the Seymour library before it closed because of the threat of coronavirus or COVID-19. The Seymour, Crothersville and Medora libraries will be closed through April 5. Lori McDonald

The Jackson County Public Library has decided to close its Seymour, Crothersville and Medora branches through April 5 as a precaution to the coronavirus or COVID-19 threat.

The Discovery Bus also will be off the road during that time.

Julia Aker, director of JCPL, said the decision to close was made in response to all of the schools in the county closing. On Thursday, the library had announced it was canceling all programs, events and public meeting room use indefinitely.

[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]

As of Friday, the Brownstown Public Library planned to remain open during regular hours but canceled all programs until further notice.

The library’s hours will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

Library staff members were disinfecting sinks and door handles, desks and tabletop surfaces and computer keyboards and mice every two hours in addition to normal cleaning procedures. Hand sanitizer also is being made available at the circulation desk for all library visitors.

Aker encouraged the public to check out materials Friday before 5 p.m. in Crothersville and 6 p.m. in Seymour. The Medora Library is closed Fridays.

All materials, except hotspots, won’t be due back until April 27, Aker said.

Library cardholders can still use the library’s online resources, including books, magazines and movies available on the library’s website at myjclibrary.org/online-resources-2.

Anyone in need of free WiFi can access it in the library parking lot 24/7, she added. That service is usually turned off when the library is closed.

“People can sit in a vehicle or on a bench outside and still get internet access,” she said.