The Bud Werner Memorial Library in Steamboat Springs quickly ran out of KN95 masks on Wednesday, Jan. 19, after being one of the libraries across the state distributing the higher quality masks for free.

Both branches of the South Routt Library District in Oak Creek and Yampa are also preparing to distribute masks, but they are waiting on a shipment of KN95 masks from the state. As of Wednesday evening, they only had the disposable surgical masks available.

Bud Werner Library Director Alysa Selbe said they had only gotten a limited shipment of 500 masks, and, by Wednesday afternoon, they had already run out, though more are on order.

The mask distribution effort is part of a statewide push for people to upgrade their cloth mask, which have shown to be less effective at slowing the spread of COVID-19 than disposable alternatives.

Other libraries around the state have not yet received any masks to distribute, Selbe said. South Routt hasn’t received a shipment of masks from the state as of Wednesday, Jan. 19, but still had some on hand from previous shipments, and more are on order.

The program asks people to limit themselves to five masks, per person, per month, but Selbe asks that when they are available again at the library that people try to take less.

“We’re just asking people to be cognizant that other people might need a mask, and only take what you need,” Selbe said.