Pandemic Resources for Libraries
Concerned about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in your library or wondering what to tell your patrons? We've put together some guidance and resources for libraries.
Reopening Your Library
Guidance on restoring library services as conditions change:
School Libraries
Looking for school library/media center-specific information?
Resources
Responses and Guidance from Local and National Library Organizations
Health education/facts:
Continuing Operations/Disaster Planning
Providing online/remote services:
General Guidance
General guidance for patrons and staff, from the
CDC:
- Practice preventative behaviors
- Stay home when sick
- Cover coughs and sneezes; wear masks/face coverings
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water
- Disinfect surfaces
- Wipe down doorknobs, light switches, table tops, keyboards/mice, phones, and other shared equipment.Guidance
from the CDC on disinfecting.
- Cleaning and Disinfecting Considerations - a guide from the REALM Project.
- Books and other library materials cannot easily be disinfected; remind patrons and staff to wash their hands after handling.
- How to Sanitize Collections in a Pandemic - article from American Libraries Magazine.
- How to Quarantine School Library Books - a guide from DEMCO.
- Temporarily remove toys, tech kits, games, and similar items that would need to be continually cleaned.
- from the National Institute of Health,
New Coronavirus Stable on Surfaces for Hours
- from the REALM Project, Initial test results show that the SARS-CoV-2 virus's ability to survive on tested materials after varies between 1 and 6+ days, depending on material and storage conditions.
- Promote online collections
- http://nlc.nebraska.gov/overdrive/
- http://nebraskaccess.ne.gov/resources.asp
- Free ebook sources
- Eliminate touch-points with patrons
- Provide tissues, masks, and hand santizier if possible.
- Have patrons scan their own cards.
- Encourage use of outside drop-boxes if you are open; if you close, ask patrons to hold materials and extend due dates/wavie fines.
- Consider curb-side service, closing meeting rooms, postponing or cancelling programming to limit traffic inside the building. Demco has this checklist for curbside services.
- Increase your WIFI signal so it extends outside the building to allow patrons to access the internet on their own devices outside.