Libraries and COVID-19: International News Roundup

We’re curating a small collection of resources with news, information, and resources about how libraries around the world are dealing with COVID-19. Included on this page is a collection of direct links to operations information for several national libraries.

Latest Entry

Last Updated: April 13, 2020 at 2:55 PM EDST

Australia

• GLAMS and COVID-19

Belarus

• Belarus’ National Library Displays Message of Solidarity with Italy in COVID-19 Fight (via Belarusian Telegraph Agency (State-Owned))

Canada

• Closed Academic Libraries in Canada (Spreadsheet)
• Statement: Canadian Association of Professional Academic Librarians
• “Toronto Public Library Lends 3D Printers to Support COVID-19 Medical Efforts”

Egypt

• Bibliotheca Alexandrina Launches Initiative to Encourage Self-Isolation Amid Coronavirus Concerns (via Aham Online)

Estonia

• Estonian National Library Observes Hike in Book Borrowing Amid COVID-19 (via ENN)

Finland

• Libraries Adapt To Life Under Quarantine (via TheMayor.eu)
• Closed Libraries Find New Way to Serve Customers (via YLE)

Germany

• Roundup of Library Closings and Other Info (in German) ||| English Translation (via Google Translate)

Ireland

• UCD (University College Dublin) to Open Library For Students Without Internet Access (via The Irish Times)

New Zealand

United Kingdom

• “Close Libraries Now, Plead Library Chiefs as ‘Terrified’ London Staff Walk Out” (via The Guardian)
• Closed Academic Libraries in UK (Spreadsheet)
• Statements From Libraries Connected
  • Request for Government to Advise the Closure of Public Libraries (March 21, 2020)
  • Statement on COVID-19 and Public Libraries (March 17, 2020)
  • Libraries Connected COVID-19 Statement (March 11, 2020)

National Libraries
We’ve accumulated this list using various sources and is not comprehensive. Links provide updates/additional info direct from the library. Most of the libraries listed below are currently closed to the public.

British Library

Library and Archives Canada

National Library of Australia

National Library of Brazil (in Portuguese) |||  Translated into English

National Library of Estonia Closes (via ERR)

National Library of France (BNF)

National Library of Germany

National Library of Denmark (Royal Danish Library)

National Library of Latvia

National Library of Luxembourg

National Library of Finland

National Library of Iceland

National Library of Indonesia (via Jakarta Post)

National Library of Israel

• Digital Ephemera: The National Library of Israel Is Collecting in the Age of COVID-19

National Library of Japan (National Diet Library)

National Library of Korea

• National Library of Korea Introduces Enhanced Online Service Amid Coronavirus Spread

National Library of Mexico

National Library of Morocco

National Library of the Netherlands

National Library of Peru (in Spanish)

National Library of Portugal ||| Translated into English (via Google)

National Library of Scotland

National Library of Singapore

National Library of Spain

National Library of Sweden

National Library of Wales

Qatar National Library Now Closed to the Public  (via Gulf News)

Swiss National Library

Additional Info for Some EU National Libraries

Filed under: Academic Libraries, Archives and Special Collections, Libraries, National Libraries, News, Public Libraries, Roundup