What's Next?

Good Morning!
It's been a crazy, overwhelming week at KPL and I want to take one minute of your precious time to thank everyone who showed up in person or remotely to contribute to our roaring success! The first week of curbside pickup is a model for libraries everywhere- tremendous teamwork and positive attitudes, a can-do spirit, and the willingness to adapt to changing circumstances, all behind really uncomfortable masks and 6 feet distances from our friends and co-workers. Staff who rarely work together, or maybe never have before, patiently helped each other find their bearings. You joked, you laughed, some of you even danced or sang, and carried on! YOU ARE AMAZING!

So what's next? DPI holds a weekly phone call with system directors and this week there is a collective effort to figure out what we're going to do the day the Governor announces we're open for business. Rest assured, I'm in no rush to open our doors to the public. We will ease into this, just as we have eased into curbside pickup and starting Friday, returns. We'll get each step right at one location, and then consider what can and should happen next.

That being said, the rush to place holds and order Bags of 10 has dwindled, so we have very effectively met our first big challenge. Starting Friday, we'll accept returns at SW only. That won't take a lot of manpower, because AMH will take care of the checking in and sorting of the majority of items. All we'll need to do is move full bins to the garage, mark them with the date the quarantine is over, and walk away. Returns will be limited to between 9am and 2pm to manage any overflow.

Starting Tuesday, the first batch of quarantined items will be ready to shelve, leave by delivery (the delivery company will be here Tuesday), or fulfill holds. The exceptions bins and shelving will be the main workload. These are all circ functions, so we'll want circ staff at SW en force on Tuesday.

While all this is happening, the CCB staff need to leave CCB and integrate into SW. Since we are certain we won't be holding public programs for many months to come, the Collection Services staff will move into the Activities Room where we can provide good social distance and not overcrowd the circulation workroom. Michelle and I have new office cubicles arriving next week and we'll be moving into them at the back of the building. Eventually Sandy and Jeremy will be sharing the small office space off the circulation workroom that our maintenance staff recently painted, but since we can't give them proper social distance at this time in that small space, Jeremy will be mostly working from home where he can also help watch over his small child and switch off with Sandy so one person is in the office at a time.

Linda and Rob are working with our leadership team to prioritize a list of projects like relabeling easy readers, conducting inventories, and shifting collections. These are projects virtually impossible to complete when our doors are open to the public. This is a great opportunity to get them done! As we figure out who can do them and where, social distancing will be a primary factor. That may include  work at the smaller branches and a return to work at home for select staff. I ask that you continue to be ready to help where needed.

This morning I read that 30 million people in the U.S. have filed for unemployment. That's nearly 10 per cent of the population! Projections for next year are a 16% unemployment rate. I thank God every day for a job to go to, and not just any job, a job that changes lives for the better, strengthens neighborhoods, inspires learning, and keeps people curious. I thank God for the opportunity to work with people like you who care so much about your community that you show up every day with a smile, ready for the next assignment in very uncertain times. Thanks for all you're doing! You're the best!
Barb

Returns Accepted May 1

Hello, Everyone
Our next phase of service will be to accept returns of library materials beginning  Friday, May 1. Here's how we'll do it:

• Returns will be accepted at SW only from 9am to 2pm Tuesday-Saturday, in line with curbside pickup hours. The drive through book drop will be locked after before and after curbside pickup.
• All other book drops in the city will remain locked. 
• No returns will be accepted through curbside pickup UNLESS they are materials that may not be returned through the AMH such as electronics and magazines.
• Staff working curbside pickup should begin wearing gloves in order to accept any of the exception items.
• Delivery between branches and to Elkhorn will be scheduled as needed. The first run is this Tuesday following the normal Tuesday delivery schedule. Limited staff will be at the branches to accept the delivery. Processing of returns at the branches will be scheduled as needed after the quarantine period is expired.
• Delivery items will be treated as returns and quarantined for 72 hours after receipt.
• All returns to SW will be quarantined for 72 hours in the SW garage. 
• Full AMH bins with SW items or exceptions will be rolled into the garage and labeled with the 72 hour quarantine expiration date.  
• Full AMH totes for delivery will be stacked with the other bins ready for delivery and will be clearly marked with the 72 hour quarantine expiration date to inform the receiving library.  

The COVID-19 virus will not survive on library materials past 72 hours. Cleaning library materials with disinfectant could harm the material and will not be necessary if we quarantine items instead. Therefore, we will quarantine returns instead of cleaning them. This is the best way for us to manage a very heavy workload with a limited number of people in the building.

To keep us all safe, these rules continue to apply:

• Wash your hands frequently
• Wear a mask when you are within 6 feet of another person.
• Do your best to maintain a six foot distance between you and someone else, even if you're wearing a mask.
• If you are working with returns or might be handed items that cannot go through the AMH system, wear gloves.
• Stagger shifts to keep the number of people in the building low.

Remember that returning to work is your choice and you can choose to use your paid time off instead. If you are feeling fear about returning to work, use that paid time off. 

Please know that we are following all the safety recommendations from the CDC, ALA, and DPI as we offer limited service to our community. There is no guarantee of 100% safety anywhere, but we are doing our very best to manage any threats.

Barb

We Are Now Essential Services

As of April 24th, the Governor has adjusted the Safer at Home Order to allow for libraries to perform curbside service and we are open for business. Libraries are now essential. Therefore the Emergency Closing Policy is no longer in effect for employees. In order for us to deliver curbside pickup, we need our employees back on the job. 

As of Monday, April 27th, the rules for pay will change.

Everyone on staff is expected to meet their PCF. Staff  with exposure to the elderly or very young or those with health conditions that make them especially vulnerable continue to have the option to work from home up to 25% of their PCF. If you are unable to fulfill your PCF, you will be required to use your accrued time off to meet your PCF.  Your supervisor will be in touch regularly to finalize your assignments.

• No more than 25% of your PCF can be met through telecommuting (per current personnel policy) 
• Accrued time may be used to meet your PCF, using vacation, personal time, or comp time. 
• Sick time may be used to care for a family member or your own personal illness.
• Employees who do not earn sick time may be eligible for limited sick pay related to COVID-19 illness under a special federal program. Employees who think they are eligible should contact Michelle for further information.
• Unpaid time may be used after all accrued time is exhausted.
• Once the Safer at Home Order is lifted, all employees will be expected to report to work in person.

Here are some of the projects that may need your participation:

1. Shifting of the entire nonfiction collection at SW

2. Moving offices from CCB to SW

3. Spring garden cleanups at all locations

4. Training (in shifts) on the new outreach van we will soon pick up and deliver to Northside

5. Preparation of additional branches to begin curbside pickup

6. Driving the new outreach van to neighborhoods to provide internet access to neighborhoods in need

7. Withdrawing and boxing books at SW

8. Moving boxes of withdrawn books from SW to CCB

Service will be focused at SW, then phased in at other locations. So for now, we need you at SW no matter where you are regularly scheduled. May 1st is our target date to accept returns, which will change our staffing needs and will require us to redistribute our work force. All staff should be in daily contact with their supervisor for updates and weekly assignments.

I appreciate your cooperation and team spirit as we navigate our way back to normal. Please contribute every way you can and remain flexible in lending your hand wherever you are needed. I, for one, will be filling pick lists this afternoon and look forward to fulfilling that important role alongside you! Can't wait to see your smiling face.

Barb

KPL Updates

Hello, Everyone
As we continue to navigate these uncertain times, I bring you a little structure:
1. We will NOT accept returns until at least May 1st. Under the current guidelines, materials will need to be quarantined between 24 and 72 hours, and until we know which, we're waiting. This is to protect you, and to protect the public
2. We will be reporting to work at SW in shifts to accommodate the heavy use of our curbside pickup service. Yesterday we had already received over 100 orders for materials. Since the holds process cannot be accomplished electronically, we must serve as the middle men in all transactions. This is work intensive and the Governor's orders restrict gatherings to NMT 10 in a room. So we're working in shifts at SW starting Thursday:
9am-2pm email reference and readers advisory taking orders and placing holds; curbside pickup
3-7 pm processing requests and calling patrons to schedule pickup the next day.
NOTE: Next day pickup is our standard. Same day pickup is not offered.
Linda is coordinating this scheduling. Please let her know if you are willing to fill a shift.


Here's what we have accomplished at SW during the Safer at Home order:
1. Finished weeding the SW collection
2. Begun shifting of collections to prepare for the activities room construction

Here are some of the projects that may need your participation:
1. Shifting of the entire nonfiction collection at SW
2. Moving offices from CCB to SW
3. Spring garden cleanups at all locations
4. Training (in shifts) on the new outreach van we will soon pick up and deliver to Northside
5. Preparation of additional branches to begin curbside pickup
6. Driving the new outreach van to neighborhoods to provide internet access to neighborhoods in need
7. Withdrawing and boxing books at SW
8. Moving boxes of withdrawn books from SW to CCB

Good news for us:
The federal CARES Act is providing $6,000 to KCLS to expand broadband service. We will add a wireless antenna to a public building in Salem Lakes and equip the book truck and new outreach van each with a powerful wireless antenna to create a mobile wireless hotspot that we can take to disadvantaged neighborhoods and community events.

This week's Bright Spot goes out to all the mask makers, and to Brandi for her extra hard work managing a constantly changing message to the public! They can't wait for library service to resume!

Stay tuned to the blog for regular updates!
Barb

Where We Are at the Top of the Week

Happy Monday, Everyone (or Sunday evening if you caught this early)

Welcome to another week of creating as much certainty as we can from uncertainty.
We have a new (surprise!)  order from the Governor that's giving libraries the go ahead to resume curbside pickup. There are still so many questions looming, including whether we can also accept returns. It's a shame the Governor told libraries at the same time he told the public instead of letting us know first, or we would have been able to settle that question ahead of time. I know DPI is trying hard to sort out everything for us and give us clear guidance. I'm hoping we will know the answer early in the week. The truth is, some small libraries in Wisconsin don't have locks on their return boxes, so they've never been able to halt returns. Staff have been going in to empty book drops all along. I'm glad we haven't had to do that so far, because we don't have any definitive answers about how long the virus lives on the surface of library materials. Luckily, the Columbus (OH) Metro Library is teaming up with a local laboratory to test the live virus on an array of library material surfaces. We will know exactly how to handle returned items by the time we resume accepting them.

So how will we begin resuming service to Kenosha on Friday?
Here's the email I sent to our city officials on Saturday. I hope it helps give you a clearer picture of just what we'll be doing. 
A couple of extras- we're setting up the catalog to only show what's available at SW. So if people wonder where the bestsellers, are, well, they're out.  And they won't see other library holdings. No delivery for now. They will only have one location for pickup for their hold-SW. All checkouts continue to be fine free till the end of June.
Take care, everyone!
Barb

Hello, Alderpersons

I'm sure you are receiving a lot of questions from your constituents about the new order from our Governor that permits public libraries to resume curbside pickup on April 24th. I wanted to offer you some answers to make your jobs a little easier and help people understand what this order allows and doesn't allow. I also wanted to give you some information about how we plan to protect everyone in the process.

For those of your constituents who used the library's curbside pickup service just prior to the Safer at Home order, the process will be the same. Here's how it works:

Curbside pickup will be available Tuesday through Saturday, beginning April 24th.

This service will only be available at the Southwest Library location. 

1. Library patrons can go online to our catalog (mykpl.info) and request items to be held for them starting Monday. Or they can call 564-6136 and speak with a librarian who will offer reading suggestions. Some of our elderly library users don't use the internet. This is a good way for them to talk to a librarian and order library materials. 

2. We will call them once we have retrieved the item and it's ready for pickup. During the call, we will offer them 2 different windows of time, 9am-11am and noon to 2pm during which they can drive up to the front of the library to pick up their holds. There will be a sign out front with a phone number to call alerting us they have arrived. (typically this isn't necessary, because we have several cars in service already.) 

3. We will ask to see their drivers license through the window. This is because items will already be checked out to them when they come to pick it up. We want to be sure the right person is picking it up. We will NOT handle their license.

Our library workers will wear protective masks and gloves. We will practice social distancing outside and  inside the library, limiting one staff member per room.

Materials provided through curbside pickup have been disinfected. 

You will receive questions about returning items. At this time, DPI is interpreting the Governor's latest order to NOT allow returned materials in order to protect library staff. Should this change, and we expect it probably will, we will follow CDC guidance that quarantining returned materials  for 24 hours is good practice. After quarantine, our staff will disinfect each item before it goes back into circulation.

Besides curbside pickup, we are offering LOTS of online learning.

Resources for Kids Staying at Home

Spring into Reading Challenge

Overdrive EBooks for Kids

Facebook Live Storytimes

If your constituents need Wifi access, they can park in our parking lots at all four locations and pick up a signal. 

Bookmobile service is not allowed at this time under the Safer at Home order.

And finally, if you are asked about the Summer Reading Program, please let everyone know that we are planning a program for ALL children, whether they have Internet access or not. We are well aware that children with the least resources need us the most and we are working hard to create an equitable program to keep children learning all summer. It may have to run curbside, but we'll adjust. We'll announce that program in a few weeks.

Thanks for your continued support of KPL. I know even this small restoration of service will bring Kenosha great joy.

Barb

Curbside Pickup Rules Sent from DPI

From: Schultz, Shannon M. DPI
Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2020 5:47 PM
To: 'wispubdir@lists.dpi.wi.gov' <wispubdir@lists.dpi.wi.gov>
Subject: Safer at Home Extended, Curbside Pick-up Added to Exceptions

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 now provide the following services:

·         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:

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

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

o    A signature from the patron is not collected; 

o    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 https://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:

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

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

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

d.            Regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces;

e.            Not shaking hands; and

f.             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.

Staff News and a 100 Mask Challenge

Happy Monday, Everyone!
Hope you all continue to be well.
Here's what's new:

Tomorrow is the first attempt at a virtual board meeting, and I'm hoping you will participate by calling in and thanking the board for your steady paycheck. The call-in # is  312-626-6799 and the Meeting ID is 745 882 930. Listen for the call for public comments at the beginning of the meeting. That's when you can deliver your thanks.

By now you've heard that Kenosha County has extended the stay-at-home order to May 8th, so we have a long way to go before we can reconvene. Thanks for all you're doing to train and make progress on projects.  I know it's really difficult to stare at a screen all day. So I have an idea for the creatives among you to contribute to our common good a different way while earning your paycheck:
The 100 Mask Challenge
This challenge is modeled after the Million Mask Challenge in Washington D.C. It's a virtual club of people who sew. They meet online and sews masks together for essential service workers. Our scaled down version is to create 100 masks, plenty for KPL staff when we return to work.
So if you love to make things and you have the skills, will you join the 100 Mask Challenge? KPL will purchase the fabric and notions and send it right to your house. If you're  good at sewing but you don't have a sewing machine, we have one at KPL we can drop off at your home. Sound like fun? Contact Michelle to sign up!

As summer approaches, the staff assigned to the Civic Center are once more faced with suffering in a building without air conditioning. Last year was simply unbearable, and we aren't willing to endure those conditions again. The City has changed its mind about moving us to the old Shalom Center Food Pantry, so we are stuck in limbo while the heat approaches and no one at city hall is thinking about our housing needs. So I'm making some decisions about fitting Collection Services and Administration staff into our existing buildings. It isn't ideal, but your cooperation and hospitality for your coworkers in crisis will be greatly appreciated. If your work space is affected, you'll be notified soon so we can get this project completed as much as possible while we're away from the building.  I know this will be slightly challenging. Work spaces are personal spaces, and asking you to change things up may not make you happy. The good news is, we're all really good cooks at CCB, so be prepared for some major pot lucks this summer!

Stay well, everyone!
Barb

FAQ Reference Sites for Election Day

Where's my polling place? How long do I have to return my mail-in ballot? 
Also, what's on the ballot and do I still need to show my photo id? (yes)

Government  Benefits
Main page lets you ask your question and guides you to the answer.

Kenosha County COVID site
How many positive, how many tested, how many hospitalized? Real time numbers. Includes information about local sources of food and other assistance.

What's considered an essential business?
From Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Any social service question (help with rent, food, prescriptions, unemployment, child care, you name it.) Refer person to CALL 211. Don't call for them. 

The city announced these polling place procedures:

Poll workers will be supplied with hand sanitizer, gloves, masks, paper towel and disinfectant.

They will be instructed to maintain regular housekeeping practices, including routine cleaning and disinfecting of pens, surfaces, voting equipment, and other elements of the work environment.

The city will provide hand-washing stations and plexiglass barriers will be placed between the workers and voters. A police officer will be stationed at polling places.

Voters will be instructed to stand in line six feet apart and will be allowed into the polling place in small groups, no larger than 10.

County Releases New COVID-19 Site

This site not only monitors the number of cases in KC and WI, it provides link to help with unemployment, food, and rent assistance.
Bookmark it!

Projections for Wisconsin and Voting Day Opportunities

Good Morning, KPLers!
Hope this beautiful sunny morning finds you rested and in high spirits, and above all else, healthy!

The Kenosha County Health Department releases detailed information to its partners every day and today they shared projections from Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluations. The site shows every state and the whole country depending on how you limit your search from the top drop down menu. Looks like Wisconsin has enough hospital beds but not enough ICU beds or ventilators so far to weather the peak of the infections. We have just short of a month to rectify that, and I'm confident there is  huge push to do so. I will keep you informed as I learn more, and I encourage those of you who are interested to return to this site often to see how we're doing as a state and as a nation.
The most important thing you can do is TAKE THIS PANDEMIC SERIOUSLY. For any of you who may be thinking you're too young or too healthy to get seriously sick, and these social restrictions are just too inconvenient, please turn your perspective outward and consider that your responsibility is never just to yourself, but rather to the human beings with whom you share this planet. Times like this brings out the best or worst in us all. Let's make sure it brings out the best in KPLers.

On April 7th, the city is moving forward with elections. Please be aware that states determine election rules, so the decision is out of Kenosha's hands. Polling places in Kenosha have been reduced to mitigate social exposure and because our older adults who typically staff our elections are excluded from participating this year, which means the number of volunteers is really reduced. The day is long, from 7am to 8pm, with time to set up before and time to count ballots after. I have worked as an election judge, and the day is really, really long and tedious. You can't leave all day to make sure there's no election tampering. If you're up to the challenge, and you're younger than 60 years old (city's rule) I encourage you to step forward and volunteer. This is a great way to earn your paycheck while we're away from the library. You will be provided with gloves and a mask, so the risk is minimal.
Also needed on April 7th are people to count the absentee ballots. This will take place at city hall. Again, you need to be younger than 60 years old. The day will be equally long. You'll have masks and gloves and be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
A third opportunity is to staff the reference desk at Southwest on April 7th. We will be taking calls from people who need to know where they should go to vote. The City Clerk's office doesn't have enough staff for the volume of calls they expect, and I proudly offered our services, since information and referral is exactly what we do! You don't have to be a librarian to do this. All we'll need to do is type in a person's address here and the answer will pop up. If you miss talking to patrons the way I do, this is a great opportunity for you to help! I'm sure many of the people who call will be delighted to learn the library may be closed, but we are finding new ways to help our community. And you'll have no risk. You'll be alone and we'll wash down the phones between shifts, so no social exposure except when we're hanging shifts. If you're over 60 years old, I encourage you to sign up for this opportunity.

Here's what else we've done to help our community after our staff went home:

• Gave 30 unopened boxes of latex gloves to our fire department who gratefully accepted and will distribute to hospitals and city departments like transit still open for business.
• Gave all our patron laptops to the city to hand out to their staff so they can shelter in place and stop coming into work at city hall!
• Assembled a terrific list of things kids can do at home to keep learning. This link has been adopted by several elementary schools for their web pages to help their families cope with bored kids at home, and it's also been shared with thousands of families who subscribe to Bright by Text . Once again, our YFS staff is making us very proud!
• We also have a YouTube Channel with storytimes and STEAM activities. 
• Our electronic resource vendors are generously proving much more content at no cost to us. Did you know that Overdrive has a Skip the Line section? Go to Library, then Explore, then drop down to Skip the Line. STL differs from "always available." STL is extra copies of hot stuff that you might be lucky enough to grab without getting on a long waiting list. Try it and please recommend to your friends.
• Speaking of recommending, Brandi is highlighting a book a day on Facebook to recommend to the public. Keep the Whacha Reading? email chain going so she has ideas to share.
• And don't forget we have more than Overdrive for audiobooks. RB Digital (Recorded Books) is always very high quality and there's no waiting list for any of their titles

If you're interested in helping on voting day, please email me. I'll send in your name and email to the clerk's office. So far I've heard from Marcia, Elkid and Carlice who will work for the clerk, and Lisa L will help staff the SW phone. Thank you!

Stay well, and take good care of everyone around you! We'll get through this stronger for it.
Barb