Restoration of Full Hours May 3rd

Nearly everyone on staff has now received at least one dose of COVID vaccine. We estimate that by May 1st everyone on staff who is choosing to be vaccinated will have received their full series. Therefore, starting Monday, May 3rd, barring any new obstacles, we will return to pre-COVID hours at every location. Northside and Southwest will once again be open evening hours. I will continue to update you as we get closer, but in anticipation of no new crises, we will begin to plan for full restoration of all services except in-person indoor programming. Public computer sessions will once again be offered in 4 hour periods. Computers and furniture will remain spaced at least 6 feet apart until we receive alternate guidance from the CDC. Plexiglas barriers will remain in place. We will continue to quarantine returned materials for 24 hours until the CDC recommends otherwise. Capacities at NS and SW will be raised from 25% to 50%. The smaller branches will still determine capacity based on the ability to social distance 6 feet apart. Staff will still be required to wear masks, social distance, and wash hands often while at work. I would also recommend wearing gloves when working the AMH at SW and emptying book drops since you are encountering items that have not been quarantined. 

YFS is planning outdoor story times and other children's activities this summer in our exterior spaces. The Kenosha Fire Department has agreed to allow us to do programming in their green space across from NS. Southwest will try the future Children's Garden space along 38th Ave, Simmons will use the back patio, and Uptown will use the front lawn. Jennifer is planning family movies in the Northside parking lot this summer. I can just feel the joy of people returning to the library to be together. Let's all hope for excellent weather!

UW Madison has invited KPL to be a partner in a new Latinx History Collective project that will strive to tell the story of  people with Latinx heritage in building Wisconsin. He are connecting the project leaders with local Latinx leaders and scholars and may be involved in collecting local oral histories.

UW Extension has asked us to partner on a project that would provide out-of-school mentorship to children at risk in our community. Their grant application is pending- I'll let you know more about the project once funded.

Marcia has secured a grant for $5,000 for Citizen Science programs that will continue the activities of this month's Big Read. It's been clear from the turnout at this month's Big Read programs that Kenosha is very interested in the natural sciences. We are looking forward to the programs Marcia has proposed.

I am meeting with the Mayor and city HR Director this Wednesday to propose that the city join the Government Alliance on Race and Equity. The city's membership would give every employee, include KPL staff, access to training and resources like sample job descriptions, discussion forums, and recruitment tools that would help us leverage more diverse job applicants. Kenosha County recently joined the alliance.

April 4-10 is National Library Week and Tuesday the 6th is National Library Workers Day. The Kenosha Public Library Foundation would like to honor you by providing lunch that day. Look for some sandwiches, chips, cookies, and drinks in your staff workrooms and some special visitors that day who will drop by to thank you for all you do. April 9th is our day to shine as an IMLS Medal Finalist on social media. The whole country will be talking about us! So take a bow- you deserve it!

We have received an affordable proposal to install leased electric vehicle charging stations at NS and SW. Once that contract is signed, contractors will begin the work by running the electrical lines for the unit installation. Each unit charges two vehicles. One unit will be placed on the east side of the SW building  in the front row of the "staff" parking lot. The other will be placed along the west strip of grass at NS. This project has multiple purposes :
1. To educate the public about the future of transportation. GM has committed to an "all EV future." We'll install educational signage next to the stations so people can read all about it.
2. To position the library as a community leader in sustainability.
3. To facilitate our city's Smart City initiative. There are very few EV charging stations in Kenosha and nothing east of 31.

We've received a warning notice from Kenosha County Joint Services that we will be charged if we continue to have building false alarm calls. These charges are expensive and first responders have better things to do than check on false alarms. It's critical that staff locking buildings after hours take care in doing it correctly and are certain the doors are locked and the buildings are cleared of patrons before locking up. Please pay extra attention to this in the coming months.

I often find myself in conversation about the psychological importance of print reading materials for children vs. screen based reading. "How Children Read Differently From Books vs. Screens" provides a very nice summary of this by age group with clear explanations of the advantages of each.

This week's Bright Spot nomination comes from Karen Rozzoni in YFS.
"Hi. I'd like to nominate Patty Bajabir for a Bright Spot Award this week. I asked her about genealogy for my upcoming Family Tree program on Monday afternoon. She researched this and sent me a very thorough email (Tuesday morning) which listed all sorts of resources for the families. I can't wait to share these with them on Zoom next week. "