Resource Sharing

On July 21, 2020, scientists at Battelle Labs released the results of Test 2of the REALM Project. Library materials tested included Braille paper pages, glossy book pages, magazine pages, children’s board books, and archival folders, in varying environmental conditions. While most of these results came back acceptable under current recommended quarantine practices, the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 showed a trace amount of virus at four days on certain materials. In light of these results, DPI and the system directors have determined that the recommended quarantine time for library materials be increased to four days.

We realize that an increase in quarantine time may be burdensome to many libraries; this decision was not made lightly. Because the public library is an institution that people trust, honoring that trust by being cautious with protocols involving public safety, particularly when the science supports doing so, is of utmost importance.

We continue to encourage libraries to communicate with their public library systems to make sure they are consistent with regional quarantine practices. For more information, please see the Wisconsin Public Libraries Reopening Guide and the COVID-19 page for Wisconsin public libraries.

Submitted by the Library Team, Division for Libraries & Technology

Last week, DPI hosted a webinar in which four libraries shared their procedures and best practices around curbside service. The recordings and procedural documents are now available to view. To allow easier viewing and ease the strain on bandwidth, each library presentation has been separated into its own video. The question and answer section and additional information from DPI has also been broken out.

As a reminder, the decision to offer curbside library service is a local library decision and this blog post and the accompanying webinar recordings should not be viewed as endorsement or encouragement to provide the service.

Introduction and DPI Information

https://youtu.be/r_YuZMidgrw

Introduction of the webinar and an explanation of the Guidelines for Reopening Libraries from DPI Library Administration Consultant Shannon Schultz, and a reminder about keeping track of curbside interactions to best tell the library story of the pandemic response.

Brodhead Public Library

https://youtu.be/KjLTWgmZUTE

Angela Noel talked about how the Brodhead Public Library in the South Central Library System is offering curbside service. Angela has also shared a graphic they use on Facebook, the document they use for scheduling, and the opening and closing checklist used by staff.

Contact Angela [] if you have specific questions.

Cedarburg Public Library

https://youtu.be/eEnJrATMk3s

Linda Pierschalla detailed the procedures followed by the Cedarburg Public Library in the Monarch Library System. Linda has made her procedure documents available with pictures or without pictures.

Contact Linda if you have specific questions.

Spooner Memorial Library

https://youtu.be/6UlqKigTu-E

Angie Bodzislaw talked about how curbside service is offered at the Spooner Memorial Library in Northern Waters Library Service. Angie shared their procedures as well as an editable version of their pickup form and a graphic used on their website and social media.

Contact Angie if you have specific questions.

Whitehall Public Library

https://youtu.be/KMKuGL5_bS4

Amanda Hegge discussed how Whitehall Public Library in the Winding Rivers Library System offers curbside service. Amanda shared the library’s Protocols and Guidelines document.

Contact Amanda if you have specific questions.

Question and Answer

https://youtu.be/pIqvPqSzdBM

The panelists then answered questions from the audience. Questions ranged from best practices in placing items in a patron’s car to considering privacy implications of curbside service. Not all questions were able to be answered, but unanswered questions are being integrated into FAQs in Guidelines to Reopening Libraries service level documents.

Thanks to all the presenters for sharing what they are doing for curbside service at their libraries!

Upcoming webinar

Please join us for another webinar on the Guidelines for Reopening on Thursday, May 7, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

The webinar will include an overview of the Guidelines, discussion about the library service levels, and a Q & A session driven by the participants. Questions to be answered during the webinar may be added here. Questions can be submitted in chat during the webinar as well, but we cannot guarantee that we will get to them all.

Here’s the attendee link to join the webinar.

Posted by Ben Miller, Division for Libraries and Technology

At 12:51 p.m. on April 16, 2020, the State of Wisconsin issued a press release regarding the extension of Wisconsin’s Safer at Home Order until 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 26, 2020 (or until a superseding order is issued) per Emergency Order #28. Order #28 implements some new safety measures and allows certain activities to begin ramping up service and operations. The following sections of Order #28 pertain to public libraries:

Order 4b: Closures: Libraries. Public libraries must remain closed for all in-person services. Library may provide the following services, beginning no sooner than 8:00 a.m. on April 24, 2020*:

• Libraries may continue to provide online services and programming, as was permitted under the Safer at Home Order.

• Libraries may begin to offer curbside pick-up of books and other library materials, only if all of the following conditions are met:

  • All operations are performed by one person in a room or confined space (see below for details);

  • Materials are requested online or by phone before pick up;

  • A signature from the patron is not collected;

  • All pick-ups are scheduled, to ensure compliance with Social Distancing Requirements as defined in Section 16 of the Safer at Home Order.

• Any Essential Governmental Function; and

• Food distribution, which were both permitted under the Safer at Home Order.

Order 12: Essential Government Functions. Government bodies including the library board should continue to follow the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Office of Open Government guidance regarding holding government meetings, and library boards should continue to convene monthly to audit and approve the payment of all expenditures of the public library, pursuant to Wis. Stat. sec. 43.58(2)(a). The OOG advisory on open meetings is available at www.doj.state.wi.us/news-releases/office-open-government-advisory-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-and-open-meetings.

Other functions exempted under this order could include food distribution and other activities deemed essential by the municipality.

Order 14: Minimum Basic Operations. This order allows the minimum necessary activities to preserve the library facility and equipment, address information technology (IT) issues, ensure physical and cybersecurity, process payroll and fulfill business services obligations, as well as activities that facilitate the ability of staff to work remotely from home.

Curbside service has been added to the list of minimum basic operations for public libraries. As a non-essential business, a public library may continue basic minimum operations by restricting the number of workers in the library to no more than is strictly necessary to perform curbside service, as well as the other minimum basic operations. These added employees can now be considered essential staff, for the purpose of operating the library with limited services.

Curbside service can only be offered by a library if all four conditions outlined in the Order #28 are met. “All operations performed by one person in a room or confined space” implies proper social distancing. It does not mean that one individual must perform all operations involved in running a curbside service; rather, it limits the number of people working in a room or confined space to one person.

Materials must be requested either online or by phone, and all pick-ups must be scheduled to ensure that social distancing requirements are met. Because lobby areas and vestibules provide an increased risk of contagion, they are not acceptable pick-up spaces for curbside service. All transactions should occur outside and away from the doorways, where people can properly socially distance themselves without coming into contact with others and hard surfaces.

Delivery and mailings. More information is needed to determine if this section applies to exchange of materials between libraries. Library staff should not provide home deliveries or offer deposit collections to residence facilities until a determination is made.

Order 16: Social Distancing Requirements. For purposes of this Order, Social Distancing Requirements includes:

1. Maintaining social distancing of six (6) feet between people;

2. Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as frequently as possible or using hand sanitizer;

3. Covering coughs or sneezes (into the sleeve or elbow, not hands);

4. Regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces;

5. Not shaking hands; and

6. Following all other public health recommendations issued by DHS and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

DLT acknowledges that public libraries are a matter of local control. We encourage you to contact your municipal attorney, county corporate counsel, or independently contracted attorney for advice when interpreting legal issues.

See also: Office of the Governor Safer at Home FAQs

*Added after the original post, per clarification in the "Office of the Governor Safer at Home FAQs" sheet linked above.

Submitted by the Library Team, Division for Libraries and Technology

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Division for Libraries and Technology is supporting libraries and library users by adapting to new service expectations now that public libraries are closed to the public. The Division awarded a discretionary grant in the amount of $250,000 to the Winding Rivers Library System to provide support to Wisconsin’s Digital Library through the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium (WPLC).

At the request of the Division for Libraries and Technology, WPLC project managers provided us with a request for funding to meet the needs of all Wisconsin library users during this pandemic. The plan allocates the additional investment in Wisconsin's Digital Library in the following ways:

1. Simultaneous Use Titles: Up to $30,000 for e-book and audio titles available for unlimited, simultaneous use for one year from the date of purchase.

2. Cost Per Circulation Titles: Up to $100,000 for pay-per-use e-book and digital audiobook titles, an amount that would immediately fill 18,182 patron holds.

3. New Titles: Up to $120,000 for new e-book and digital audiobook titles, adding an estimated 2,000 titles to the collection.

The Division for Libraries and Technology reviewed the request, and determined that this is a necessary step to support the Wisconsin library community and library users across the state during this pandemic. The Winding Rivers Library System and WPLC provided integral support to guarantee that this investment would immediately reach Wisconsin library users. Kurt Kiefer, Assistant State Superintendent for the Division for Libraries and Technology said in response to the efforts of the WPLC and the Winding Rivers Library System, "I am incredibly proud of the work our state library community has done on making this resource available to every citizen of Wisconsin. It is truly meaningful."

The investment in Wisconsin's Digital Library was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, LS-00-19-0050-19.