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The Kansas City Public Library is temporarily closing its Ruiz and Sugar Creek locations, consolidating staff and services at larger locations amid the worsening COVID-19 outbreak.

The pause in services at the two locations takes effect Monday, November 16, 2020.

The move is not a response to a COVID case at any of the Library’s 10 locations. However, staffing pressures have increased across the system as frontline staffers follow quarantine guidelines upon exposure outside the Library, adhere to Library safety measures, or exercise personal caution.

“From the beginning, our number one priority has been the health and safety of our staff and patrons,” says Joel Jones, deputy director for Library services.

The Sugar Creek community will be served during its closure by the Library’s nearby Trails West location, the Ruiz area by the Central and Westport locations. Jones emphasized that the pause in services at the two locations is temporary.

“If conditions start to improve, we will resume services at these locations,” he says. “And, of course, we look forward to the day that we can fully reopen all of our libraries, including Ruiz and Sugar Creek.”

For a full list of services currently offered by the Library, visit kclibrary.org/coronavirus.