Present and future

Thank you to everyone who joined me for a chat this morning.  It was nice to see so many smiling faces and to hear questions and ideas.

The buildings may not be open to the public, but there is still a lot going on.  Thank you to all staff for your contributions during this time.  Public Services staff are presenting online programs (very well received!) and planning for activities after we reopen.  Materials staff are continuing to build our collection and working to satisfy the understandable spike in demand for eBooks.  Support Services staff are screening volunTEENS, staying up-to-date on the changing legal/HR landscape, and ensuring there is no gap in financial activities (such as paying vendors and staff).  IT and Facilities staff have performed a dizzying variety of responsibilities to protect and maintain our infrastructure and to enable us to serve our patrons during this time and work from home.  And, of course, many staff are taking advantage of this time to expand their skills and knowledge. This summary doesn’t do justice to the herculean efforts occurring during this pandemic.  Again, thank you.

As we look to the future, much is uncertain.  But, we do know that we will reopen to the public once it is safe to do so.  Leadership Team met earlier this week (virtually of course) and formed three committees to plan different aspects of our reopening. 

·       Mendy Gunter (Branch Manager, Sharon Forks) will lead a team to explore options and make recommendations for a transitional opening and/or limited services.  It is unlikely that we will immediately return to full services upon reopening, so this team will explore the logistics of curbside services and limited services within the buildings.

·       Jeff Fisher (Materials Services Manager) will lead a team to explore options and make recommendations regarding handling materials when we reopen.  This will include materials being returned by patrons and materials being checked out by patrons. 

·       Ann Decherd (Branch Manager, Post Road) will lead a team to explore options and make recommendations regarding the “new normal.”  What will the long-term impact of COVID-19 be on the services we offer and the ways in which we interact with our patrons? 

As one of the attendees at this morning’s “Anna’s Office Hours” commented, we need to make sure that our processes and the way we interact with patrons are comfortable to both patrons and staff.

One of the key considerations in determining when we will reopen and which services we will offer is whether we can obtain an adequate supply of disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, gloves, and possibly masks.  Our currently supply is not adequate and supplies are currently difficult if not impossible to obtain.

Be on the lookout for another post from me later today.  It will be in Q & A format and will address questions I’ve received from staff.