News for the Week

Here's what's happened, here's what's ahead:

• We expect to restore full hours at Uptown and Simmons next week, barring any further security concerns. Staff regularly scheduled at these locations should expect to report as usual.
• City HR will conduct interviews for the new Community Development Director in the new activities room at SW on Monday from 8:30am-3pm and on Tuesday morning. Some interview will be in person, others via Google. I ask that you refrain from lingering outside the room since candidates may be distracted if they can see you through the glass. We all know how unnerving it is to interview- let's be kind!
• We'll be asking the Board to approve No Trespassing After Hours signs for our exterior spaces. Those signs need to be approved by the Library Board as well as a couple Council committees so it may be a few months before we can post them. This is not a decision based on recent civil unrest. Instead, it's the result of a long history of overnight damage and accumulation of excrement, used needles and trash on the grounds of Simmons, overnight parking at Northside,  belligerent, destructive behavior near the Dewey garden, and people sleeping in door wells at Uptown. While I have much compassion for those living outside, it's become a matter of public safety and I feel it's time to act. The signs won't affect people who need to use our wireless after hours. If the police ask them their purpose, they'll be fine. But it will allow police to move the destructive groups along and hopefully prevent further damage.
• In the middle of all this disruption, we are collecting valuable information to help us decide what our priority services should be for the next few years. Kenosha County ranks 62 out of 72 counties in Wisconsin for health in the new release of 2020 County Health Rankings, a troubling statistic. Kenosha School District Report Cards are pretty depressing, as well. We have a lot of work to do as a community and a library, but if we've learned anything over the past few months, it's that we are strong and well positioned to lead positive change.

Which leads me to the Bright Spot Awards for the week. Honestly, there are so many people to name. Here are a few, and I'd love to hear from you about who I've missed.

Dan Davis was the clever one who strongly suggested we place a fence across the front terrace at Simmons on Monday morning. That same evening after his crew installed that fence, someone threw a Molotov cocktail at Simmons from afar. It landed in a window well but didn't do more than crack the glass on a storm window. Without that fence, they would have easily gotten closer and done more damage. Dan, thank you for your smart suggestion!

Brent Williams cleverly devised a scheme to get our payroll processed on time when we lost Internet at SW on Monday. Linking desktops of several computers, he gave Jeremy the access he needed to get us paid. Now that's worth shouting THANK YOU! about!!

Alejandria Galarza and Susannah Gilbert delivered a very interesting and useful webinar for staff about teen behavior in the library. What a great way to use your remote work time in such a helpful way! Thank you!

Jeff Dial and Rosa Herrera worked in the Uptown neighborhood to help board up and pass out food, and Alex Lewis, Vicki Zielsdorf and Kelly Witte took their artistic selves downtown today to paint some beautiful words and images of love and compassion on the boarded up buildings there. (If I've omitted names here, I apologize- let me know!)

Brandi Cummings quietly hung out at Uptown on Wednesday as we opened our doors without fanfare to a community in need. Word on the street brought in a lot of people grateful for Internet, printing, faxing, and a cool, safe place to be. Brandi is consistently the person you can count on to be there, ready to help at a moment's notice. Her compassion and respect for every person is inspiring. And she never asks for recognition for her quiet, selfless deeds.

Shannon, Kristin, Heather and Stephanie volunteered to staff Uptown library on day 2 and 3 of reopening. Thank you for being brave and standing for the ideals of our profession!

And finally, a special note of gratitude and admiration for Zander Miller. On Tuesday, Zander asked to speak with me, saying simply that he felt we should open the Uptown library for a neighborhood that  needed us more than ever during this difficult time. Zander was right, and he showed the courage of his convictions by volunteering to be the guy who opened the doors on Wednesday and greeted each visitor warmly, patiently, and respectfully. For an administrator who spends a good part of my day with a laptop and paperwork, it was an amazing, renewing experience to directly serve the public again. Thank you, Zander, for advocating to restore service where needed, and for your patience teaching me how to do the job you do every day. And for not clutching the passenger seat too tightly as I drove the maintenance van across town. (Yes, I saw you clutching the seat 😉)

Have a safe and healthy summer weekend, everyone!

Barb

News for the Week

Now that the new activities room is finished at SW, we are planning for the limited reopening of both our large locations to visitors mid-September. There are a few more details to work out, but we should be ready to announce something soon, and you'll be the first to know. Thanks for your patience.

KUSD has updated their back to school plan to allow both in-person and remote learning. Here is the current plan. I understand for you working parents there is a lot of uncertainty and worry about the coming year. Having raised two boys on my own, many of those years living paycheck to paycheck, I fully understand your challenge and your worry. Please know that we will be as flexible and supportive as we possibly can be as you try to manage during the coming school year. You are all very important to us and we are in this together.

The City of Kenosha will be installing ballot drop boxes on the curbs outsider UPT, SW and NS libraries in preparation for the November election. Here's the mock-up of where they'll go. 

County Health Rankings are released every year, and the 2020 report for Kenosha County has just been released. Thanks to Patty for the summaries she's provided to inform our long range planning. It will come as no surprise that alcohol related deaths are very high and so is obesity. What can the library do to promote a more healthy community? Our role as a community forum and the fact that we see over 600,000 visitors in our buildings every year puts us in an excellent space to partner with the county health department to promote positive health habits. Look for health education to be part of our final 2021-2023 plan.

I subscribe to Aspen Ideas emails that provide 5 links per day of their "best ideas." This article was in today's email and I just had to share it with you all. What have you left unsaid?

From Amy Klein:
"I just wanted to pass along a really positive patron interaction I had today while on the phones. A 78-year-old patron called to request books for her 80-year-old neighbor friend who isn't much of a reader. While picking out titles we got to chatting and before everything happened the patron wasn't a big reader either, but since we have been offering our curbside pick-up she has read 30 books and has really impressed herself. She told me how much she loves the library and everything we're doing, she also said if we did a commercial she would give us the biggest HOORAH! 
She was so thankful and appreciative she started tearing up and I did too. I told her I was going to pass along the story and her kind words to you. "

Two Bright Spots this week, both nominated by Linda Noyce:

"This Bright Spot goes to Jennifer for sharing Legally Blonde lead, Elle Wood’s “Snap Cup” idea with the NS team! Jennifer reported, “The idea is that when someone observes someone doing a good job or going the extra mile, that they "give them snaps." We have a jar in the staff lounge with snap sheets to fill out and a pen. People can give snaps anonymously or sign their name if they like.” She also related the following: “I've been pleased to see that many are also cross-departmental. I've seen snaps for NS, OS, and Maintenance staff. I've also seen a variety of comments, ranging from staff feeling emotionally supported and inspired by other staff, to comments on work ethic and a job well done.” To the NS team Snap Cup on!

This Bright Spot goes to Stephanie for checking up on the patron locked in the upstairs bathroom during the Tornado Warning on Monday evening. When the Tornado Warning ended Stephanie worked with her team to break in and help the then unresponsive patron inside. Nice response, Stephanie! Kudos to your quick thinking to remove the pins in the hinge of the door."

I'm taking Monday off to soak up more summer sun. Linda Noyce is your point person for major issues. Enjoy the beautiful summer weather, everyone!

News for the Week and a sweet little pic

This week we sent a survey out to caregivers to see what they'll want from the library as online school begins. We've received 304 responses since yesterday morning. 75% said they intend to visit the library while school remains online. The rest opted for curbside. Over 70% said the most important thing they want from us is access to physical books. Now doesn't that just make your heart sing?

Here's how the results broke down:

1. Access to physical books

2. Access to online books and music

3. Take home project kits

4. Online homework help

Clever librarians that we are, we predicted that the online homework help would be of major interest, so along with all the other libraries in SHARE, we have purchased a product called BrainFuse . Here is a video introduction to this amazing product that not only provides instructional materials by age group, but real-time live tutors to help on just about any school topic.  (Then try it live with your library card and password.) There's help with FAFSA financial aid paperwork, practice tests at all levels, advice for parents on how to manage online school,  and special sections for ESL students. If you work with the public or have school age children in your life, you'll want to explore everything this product has to offer and spread the news far and wide. Please take the time to get to know BrainFuse.

Other News:

• New carpet will be installed in the Northside activities room, conference room, and hallway starting August 25th.
• Be sure and sign up for the webinar with Alejandria and Susannah, "Working with Teens." See your email from Heather.
• Thanks to Mary and Carlice who worked this week's election.
• Thanks to those of you who are scheduling your time off, especially while our larger branches remain closed.
• Congratulations to the YFS staff for their beautiful reorganization of the NS children's area.
  

I'll be on vacation starting tomorrow through Tuesday, back Wednesday. Linda and Rob will be in charge during my absence. Have a wonderful summer weekend!

Barb

News for the Week

Thanks to Hilary for this awesome obstacle course outside SW Library! (Brandi nominates you for a Bright Spot Award!)

Test 4 of Library materials is underway by Battelle Labs.

Five items were selected for the fourth round of Battelle lab testing to examine the length of time the COVID-19 virus may live on materials commonly used in archives, libraries, and museums. The study began on Friday, July 31, on items provided by Columbus Metropolitan Library and the National Archives and Records Administration. In response to feedback from the library community and discussion among REALM working groups, four of the five items selected for test 4 are similar book materials as were studied in test 1; for this test they will be stacked to simulate their common storage configuration in bins, book drops, and on shelves.

For more information on this first round of testing and other activities, visit the “Happening Now” project update page. For more on the scope, timeline, and committees involved with #REALMproject, visit oc.lc/realm-project.

I did a quick look at vacation accruals and a lot of you have a significant amount of vacation left. This would be a great time for you to take some of that paid time off while we are still closed to the public at the larger branches. We'll need you at work when things get busy again.

This from Marcia:

I'm pleased to announce that Outreach services is resuming home delivery services this week in a process that is contact free.  Starting Aug 17, we will expand home delivery service to our senior lobby stop buildings.  Patrons may already have a KPL staff selector, or they may call to place holds on their own and all those holds should be sent to the KPL-BKM location code starting immediately.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.  Thank you!

This from Shawn:

I would like to nominate Brandi and Aaron for a Bright Spot. The new directional signage at Southwest is exceptional. The eye is instantly drawn to whatever a patron may need. Very simple but extremely effective. Well done.

Glad you like it, Shawn! We'll be adding the same directional signage at NS shortly.

Back to Normal Service Hours at UPT and SI

• Beginning today, we are restoring public hours at UPT and SI to their normal schedule, closing for one hour at 1pm for cleaning.  This change will accommodate our service industry and industrial workers who have more non-traditional work schedules and make sure people of all abilities have access to library services while we remain closed at the larger branches. 
• Northside and Southwest re-openings are delayed due to the recent surge in positive COVID-19 cases. New target dates are early September. With the new statewide mandate for face coverings, the infection rate should have tanked considerably by then.

If you get questions from patrons on the phone or at curbside about why we're not open at the larger branches, please assure them we will be open as soon as we can do so safely. With the sudden spike in infections, we believe the most prudent thing to do is wait a little longer until new infections are much lower. Group gatherings are the worst thing we can do right now. The smaller branches don't attract big groups, so we can control the environment much more easily. Please encourage them to visit those locations if they just need to go to a library.

• The August primary election is next Tuesday, August 11. We will serve as a polling place at NS and SW. The Wisconsin Elections Commission has provided rulings about face masks, including the question of whether you must wear a mask to vote. Naturally, the answer is no. Here's the exact wording of the answer:

Q: Can municipalities require voters to wear face coverings while voting at the polls on election day? A: No, Commission staff have advised that only the Legislature can establish individual voter qualifications. The authority of the Legislature to establish voter qualifications is rooted in the Wisconsin Constitution. The WEC, along with state agencies, county or local governing bodies and/or election officials, cannot pass ordinances or establish rules that add qualifications for an eligible elector to cast a ballot. The Executive Order issued by the Governor on July 30, 2020 that requires face coverings in certain situations does not apply to voters. No voter should be refused a ballot for lack of wearing a face covering. Clerks may establish procedures to allow for voters without facial coverings to cast a ballot safely on election day. This may involve using designated areas of the polling place for these voters or assigning poll workers with additional personal protective equipment (PPE) to serve these voters. 

• Want to watch a visual that helps you understand why the whole state is wearing masks? Watch this time lapse of COVID-19 positive cases per 1,000 by clicking on the right arrow button at the top right of the map. Hard to believe there have been almost 55,000 positive cases in the state, but this dashboard will provide all kids of surprises.
• Congratulations and a fond farewell to Cathy Jensen as she transitions to the wonderful life of retirement. Cathy's last day with KPL is Friday. Cathy, we appreciate all the years you've devoted to KPL and will miss you here at work. We hope to see you often at curbside and across the counter. Don't forget us!

This from Amy Klein:

I would like to nominate Emily Kastelic for a Bright Spot, she always goes above and beyond helping patrons. Her kindness and patience are so apparent on the phone, she is such an asset to the library and our patrons. 

Amy, I agree. Emily's customer service is off the charts, and by the way, so is yours!

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Barb