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<p>Hello Everyone,<br>
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Someone asked me what my library was thinking of doing when I mentioned reducing services. Below is my response.
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Additionally, now is a good time to start planning to <i><b>prevent</b></i> a crisis in your community, not just respond to one if/when it happens. As librarians we may need to reframe our thoughts about how to best serve our patrons. Typically that means staying
open at all costs, even in blizzards or artic blasts. But in this case, is "how to best serve our patrons" mean reducing opportunities for exposure by cancelling programs and paring down in-library services? Just putting that out there for people to think
on and discuss. I was up all night with this running through my head.<br>
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<span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">Today we are contacting everyone with a program or reservation next week to inform them that we are considering cancelling programs due to the need for "social distancing". </span><br>
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<span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt"></span><span style="background:yellow; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">Also, we have been talking about:</span></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; color:black; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">1) Removing all toys. For now, we've removed some and clean the others.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; color:black; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">2) Removing some of the chairs from the study tables to force social distancing in the departments.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; color:black; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">3) At the extreme end: close off each wing of the library (Adult services and Youth services). Patrons will then only be able to come in and use the front circ desk to pick-up
holds. We may set it up so they can get to the AS or YS desks and requests books, then staff will walk over and get that item off the shelf and hand it to them to check out. </span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; color:black; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">4) Setting aside all materials as they come in for 48-72 hours to allow the virus to die off before we handle it. This would require noting the dates on bins for when they were
returned and then back-dating.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt; color:black"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt"> </span></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; color:black; background:yellow; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">For those who ask, "is it really that bad."</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt; color:black"></span></p>
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<li><span style="font-size:12pt; color:black; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Use Italy as the example. Do we want to be part of that? Do we want to add to transmission by ignoring recommendations?</span></li><li><span style="font-size:12pt; color:black; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">The CDC mentions social distancing as a means to prevent the spread of the virus. </span>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size:12.0pt; color:black"><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html" id="LPlnk372718" previewremoved="true"><span style="color:black; text-decoration:none; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt"> </span></span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size:12.0pt; color:black"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">“Community-based interventions such as school dismissals,
</span><span style="background:yellow; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">event cancellations, social distancing</span><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">, and creating employee plans to work remotely can
help slow the spread of COVID-19." </span></span></li></ol>
</li><li><span style="font-size:12pt; color:black; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Alas, working remotely is difficult to impossible for most library staff, but so we need to focus on the other recommendations.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:12pt; color:black; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">While social distancing is not mandated, I believe it is best practice for us to meet or exceed the recommendations; not to ignore them or do "less than" suggested.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:12.0pt; color:black"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">Front of my mind is something I heard years ago at a safety training. The presenter had been in HR and training for decades. He mentioned working
with DPW departments across the state and the new recommended standards for protecting DPW workers so they don’t die (i.e. from collapsing trench walls if not properly supported; gas leaks in enclosed spaces). He stated some DPW directors would say they were
fine as is. His response was (paraphrased from memory): </span><i style=""><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">Who has to die for you to do something? Pick an employee and mark him for death.</span></i><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">
So I stayed awake last night thinking of that. Which library staff member or which community member has to die before we cancel programs and reduce services?
</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:12pt; color:black; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">I’d rather be overly cautious and have nothing happen and then be teased for “overreacting” than delay/ignore, have something bad happen, and feel responsible.</span></li></ol>
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<span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">I had the epiphany yesterday that
</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">as someone who lives with asthma, I am in th</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">e</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> "high
risk</span><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">" category. </span><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">I have to be extra concerned bc t</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">his
is a respiratory disease. I am now at work with my darth-vader-looking face mask on in my office, s</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">o I can still work but try to reduce the chance of getting the virus</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">. </span><br>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt; color:black"><a href="https://community.aafa.org/blog/coronavirus-2019-ncov-flu-what-people-with-asthma-need-to-know" class="OWAAutoLink" id="LPlnk760533" previewremoved="true"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">https://community.aafa.org/blog/coronavirus-2019-ncov-flu-what-people-with-asthma-need-to-know</span></a></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt; color:black"><span style="color:rgb(69,69,69); font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; background-color:rgb(230,252,255)">The CDC has also released new guidelines for people who are at high risk, which includes
people with asthma. They recommend people at high risk:</span><br style="color:rgb(69,69,69); font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:17.6px">
<br style="color:rgb(69,69,69); font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:17.6px">
</span></p>
<ul style="margin:0px 0px 1.25rem 3rem; padding:0px; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:1rem; line-height:1.6">
<li style="margin:0px; padding:0px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">Stock up on supplies (a 14-day supply)</span></li><li style="margin:0px; padding:0px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">Take steps to keep a distance from others</span></li><li style="margin:0px; padding:0px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">Avoid people who are sick, limit close contact and wash your hands often</span></li><li style="margin:0px; padding:0px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">Avoid crowds as much as possible</span></li></ul>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color:black">Have a wonderful day,</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color:black">Nyama</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt"> </span></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color:black">Nyama Y. Reed (she / her / hers)</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color:black">Library Director</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color:rgb(51,153,102)">N.Reed@WFBLibrary.org</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color:black">414-755-6551 (direct line)</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color:black">Whitefish Bay Public Library</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color:black">5420 North Marlborough Drive</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color:black">Whitefish Bay, WI 53217</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color:black">414-964-4380 (main line)</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt"> </span></span></p>
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<i style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color:green">Our Mission</span></i><br>
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<i><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color:green">The Whitefish Bay Public Library, as a cornerstone of the community, is dedicated to connecting people of all ages, inspiring a love of learning and providing easy access to
ideas, information and resources.</span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif; color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif; color:black"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt"> </span></span></p>
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