Today's Board Meeting & Curbside Service

This Library’s Board of Trustees met via GoToWebinar this morning.  We had a record number of staff attend this meeting!  The Board approved the following motion:

Approval of proposed plan for reopening the libraries during the COVID19 pandemic. The Director shall determine timing of implementation of phases based on available data and recommendations of local, state, and federal officials.

The plan recommends curbside service as the first phase towards reopening (restoring non-digital services), with no patron access to the buildings.  Subsequent phases will allow patron access to the buildings, with increasing levels of services offered as the threat of COVID19 transmission decreases.

·         Phase 1—Current situation; virtual services and materials only

·         Phase 2—Curbside service added

·         Phase 3—Limited number of patrons may access buildings to select and check out materials; curbside service continues.

·         Phase 4—Access to computers added; curbside service continues

·         Phase 5—Return to regular service hours, but no live programs or meeting room use; discontinuation of curbside service.

·         Phase 6—Incremental return to live programs and use of meeting rooms

·         Phase 7—Normal operations, recognizing that some practices put into place during the emergency may continue long-term

Each phase could be 1-2 weeks, or one phase could last months, or we could revert to a previous phase.

Board input was requested regarding the timing of implementing Phase 2.  After discussing several logistical issues such as supplies of masks and hand sanitizer, the following timeframe was established:

May 1—Bookdrops opened; patrons encouraged to return materials; staff return to branches to prepare for curbside pickup service.  Supervisors will determine specific schedules.

May 6—Begin soft opening for curbside pickup.  Service will not be widely advertised, but patrons with holds will be contacted to schedule a time to retrieve them.

May 8—Press releases announcing May 11 as the beginning of curbside pickup.

May 11—Curbside service begins officially.

These dates are not in stone.  The Leadership Team is meeting this afternoon and will begin to refine logistical details about the curbside pickup service.  Basic details include:

·         Returned materials quarantined for 3 days before filling holds or shelving

·         Courier service resumes

·         No contact between staff and patrons

·         Staff will wear masks; gloves will be worn as needed.

·         Specific hours TBD based on staffing and demand

·       By “curbside,” we do not envision a line of cars in front of the buildings.  Patrons will have specific pickup times and will park in designated spaces.  Staff will place their items in a labeled paper bag on a table in front of the libraries.  Unless physically unable, patrons will retrieve their bag(s) from the tables.

We know that this is an unsettling time and that the idea of returning to a branch or HQ may be frightening.  Unfortunately, there will be a risk of transmission of this virus for months if not years; waiting another week or month will not eliminate the concern.  We will be following CDC and other recommendations regarding social distancing and use of masks and gloves.  For example, for curbside service, we will limit the number of staff in the buildings at one time and staff will not have direct contact with patrons.  While we will begin scheduling staff to work this Friday at their regular worksites, we anticipate that some staff will continue to work from home, if their regular tasks can be completed remotely.  Other staff may spend part of their schedules working from home and part of their time working at their regular worksites.

We recognize that some employees may not be able to immediately return to their regular worksite due to childcare issues or being in a high-risk for COVID-19.  Nikki will post additional information on options for these employees later today.  We will work with each individual staff member to determine next steps.