We sign this petition to endorse the two statements recently sent to you by the CUNY Council of Chief Librarians, reproduced below. We urge you IN THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE TERMS to close all physical library spaces immediately, both to protect the health of CUNY's students and employees and to help slow the spread of COVID-19 across New York City and beyond.

All CUNY libraries provide remote access to databases and many thousands of e-journals and e-books. Further, all CUNY libraries offer robust research services online. CUNY libraries can and must operate in an online-only way until it is safe to do otherwise. There is too much to lose by continuing to keep the physical spaces open.

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STATEMENT #1, sent Monday, March 16

Dear Chancellor Matos Rodríguez, Executive Vice Chancellor Cruz, and Associate University Provost Maruca,

The Council of Chief Librarians writes to express our grave concern regarding the decision to keep library spaces at the City University of New York open during the COVID-19 crisis. We understand better than anyone the critical role that libraries play in teaching and learning at CUNY, from broadband Internet access to desktop computers, laptop loans, and circulating library collections. However, in a public health crisis that relies on all New Yorkers to practice social distancing in order to quell the spread of COVID-19, libraries must play a different role. As gathering spaces for CUNY students and faculty, keeping our buildings open risks the lives of all of us, including the committed library workers who interact with patrons in our library spaces. Each one of these contacts increases the risk of community spread of this virus.

We urge the Chancellor to direct all campus libraries to close, following the current recommendations of New York City public health officials. We are committed to continuing to provide high quality remote research services and access to online research resources. Keeping CUNY students, faculty, and staff away from our physical spaces is the best way to ensure continuity of those services in the coming days and weeks.

We look forward to your response.

Maura Smale, Chair, Council of Chief Librarians
Polly Thistlethwaite, Interim University Dean for Library Services

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STATEMENT #2, sent Wednesday, March 18

Dear Chancellor Matos Rodríguez and Executive Vice Chancellor Cruz,

The Council of Chief Librarians writes to express our ongoing and urgent concern at the lack of a central direction from CUNY leadership regarding the shift to an online-only remote library during this COVID-19 crisis. We have not received a response to our email dated March 16.

Physical library spaces must remain inaccessible to library workers and all of our patrons during this public health crisis. Keeping these spaces open risks adding to the active community spread of this virus. As a statement in support of library closures issued by the American Library Association notes:

“Libraries are by design unable to practice social distancing to the degree recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health authorities. Keeping libraries open at this time has the potential to harm communities more than help.”

We are struggling to respond to concerns from CUNY library faculty and staff and the communities we serve about the status of library buildings. Please help us play our critical role in preserving the health of all New Yorkers. We are committed to providing a high level of services to our communities via robust remote library collections and research services for as long as this crisis persists. A central directive to close the buildings will allow us all to return to this urgent work.

We look forward to your response.

Maura Smale, Chair, Council of Chief Librarians

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Again, we urge you to act. Lives are at stake.