The Palmerton Area Library remains closed due to staff exposure to COVID-19.

Chuck Laviolette, president of the Palmerton Area Library Association, confirmed there are two positive cases.

“We had two staff members that have contracted COVID,” Laviolette said. “And according to our guidelines that were established back in the spring when everything was shut down, because we have a limited number of staff, when we get to two staff members who have come down with COVID, obviously we’ve got to shut down.”

Laviolette said the library, which has been closed since the afternoon of Dec. 30, will remain shut down for the rest of this week.

“With our limited numbers, our procedure is going to be it’s closed this week,” he said. “Next week, it is possible that we could go to curbside pickup, like we did before.”

Under curbside pickup, Laviolette said visitors may contact the library by telephone, social media or its website to order reading materials and other materials and pick them up once staff are available.

“We’re hoping that some of the staff might be ready to come back the week of the (Jan.) 18-23. “Once all staff are cleared, then we will go back to being open by appointment again.

“We’re going to gradually go back to our stages of curbside, then possibly back to walk-ins again.”

To contact the library, call 610-826-3424, or visit palmertonarealibrary.com.