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