Masks Optional Beginning Thursday

The City of Kenosha's mask mandate expires this Thursday May 27th. Masks for patrons will be optional. Vaccinated staff can choose not to wear a mask starting Thursday. Unvaccinated staff should strongly consider wearing a mask, especially if working with young children who are unprotected. If you have any concerns about your own protection or the protection of others, please continue to wear a mask. There is no shame in it!! Appleton Public Library staff have agreed that if someone approaches a service point wearing a mask, it is an act of courtesy to put yours on while helping that patron. I think that's a lovely gesture and ask that you consider to do the same.

2022 Budget Hard to believe it's just about time to start developing next year's budget. June/July/August is our window to pull together a plan for how much we'll ask for and how we'll spend it. Our first draft is always a little more ambitious than we can really afford, but a progressive, innovative library needs to be ambitious. So we will once again compile a draft budget that gets the core work done very efficiently, freeing up funds for that creative top layer that makes KPL so exceptional.

Here are some things we'll include in that first draft:

• A cost of living adjustment (COLA) that reflects the current government sector estimate for wage increases in 2022
• A staff classification and compensation study to follow up on our 2018 study. This places us in a 3 year cycle. We may accomplish this as part of the city's study or conduct a separate study.
• A consultant to analyze how we can upgrade our spaces to serve a post-COVID world.

To coincide with Hispanic Heritage Month, KPL’s Northside branch will host the traveling exhibit Immigrant Journeys from the Wisconsin Humanities Council. Congratulations to Jennifer for her successful grant application!

Congratulations to Megan Nigh for completing her MLIS degree!

Beginning June 1st, the public can once again make their own meeting room reservations. Building and room capacity has been raised to 50%.

Beginning June 1st, the teen Read it Off program begins. Here's an overview from Alejandria: Kenosha Public Library system is starting a new program called Read It Off (RIO) as a way to help teens ages 12-19 years old eliminate their fines through the simple act of checking out items and returning them on time. This program seeks to help teenage patrons who do not have the financial means to pay their library fines. A secondary goal of this program is to instill healthy library borrowing habits.  How does Read It Off work?  When a staff member signs a teen patron up for Read It Off, the patron is only able to have one library item checked out on their card at a time. When the patron returns the item, $5.00 will be removed from their fine total.  Their library account will stay on the Read It Off program until they completely eliminate their fines or until they request to no longer be enrolled. There is no set time limit for when the teen needs to complete Read It Off. This is because some teens may take longer, depending on their accrued fines and ability to visit the library.  Once a teen patron has completed Read It Off or asks to be unenrolled, they cannot sign up again for another six months. 

Who is eligible?  In order to be eligible to sign up for Read It Off, the patron must:

• Be a Kenosha Public Library card holder between the ages of 12-19

• Have $10.01 or over in fines on their card

• Have no items currently checked out on their library card

• Have not participated in Read It Off in the last six months

How to sign a patron up for Read It Off:

• Check to make sure the patron is eligible. Remember to check their ‘Notes’ to see if they have participated in Read It Off in the last six months.
• Under ‘Modify User’, change the patron’s profile name to KPLRIO.
• Under the ‘Extended Info’ tab, put a note in the patron’s account that says, “Signed up for RIO, Month/Day/Year”
• They are now signed up! Make sure to explain the program to the patron so they understand they are limited to checking out one item at a time from a Kenosha Public Library collection. The $5.00 off of their total fine will be waived automatically when the patron returns the item on time.
• How to unenroll a patron from Read It Off:
• A teen patron will automatically be unenrolled from Read It Off when they reach $0.00 in fines. Alternatively, they may choose to end enrollment before they’ve reached $0.00 in fines. If a Read It Off patron chooses to end their enrollment before they reach $0.00 in fines:
• Make sure they understand that they will not be able to sign up for Read It Off for another six months. If they unenroll and run up fines again, they will either need to pay their fines to get them under $10.01 or wait until they are eligible for RIO again.
• Under ‘Modify User’, change the patron’s profile name to the correct code: for teens ages 15 & under, return it to the Juvenile. For teens ages 16 & older, return it to General.
• Under the ‘Extended Info’ tab, change the note in the patron’s account from ‘Signed up for RIO, Month/Day/Year’ to ‘Ended RIO, Month/Day/Year’.

At this point they are un-enrolled and, if they are under $10.01 in fines, they may resume checking out multiple items at one.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can a Read It Off patron check out items from any SHARE library?

No. During the time they are enrolled in the Read It Off program, they are only able to check out items from the Kenosha Public Library.

How long do they have to complete the Read It Off program?

There is no set time for teens to complete the Read It Off program once they’ve been enrolled in it. Some teens may take longer to complete the program and that is okay.

If a teens is enrolled in Read It Off and incurs more fines because they don’t return their item on time, can they read off those fines?

If they are still enrolled in Read It Off, yes, they can.

Can they renew the item they have checked out?

Yes, just like any other patron, if they find they need more time with the item they have checked out, they are able to renew the item if it is possible.

Should I discourage a teen patron from un-enrolling in Read It Off if they haven’t reached $0.00 in fines on their account?

Teen patrons may have many reasons for ending their enrollment in Read It Off before hitting $0.00 in fines. Perhaps they have a deal with their parent, where if the teen ‘reads off’ a certain amount of the fine, the parent will pay the rest. Or they’ve gotten their total fines under $10.01 and are eager to be able to check out multiple items again. Either way, this is their decision.


Please make certain they understand that they are not able to begin Read It Off for another six month if their fines go above $10.01 again. You may gently tell them something along the lines of, “Oh hey, you only have $9.00 in fines left. That means if you check out a book and return it on time just two more times, you can get all the way down to zero”, but do not judge them if they decline.

This week's Bright Spot nomination comes from Martha:
"I nominate Gina Williamson for a Bright Spot this week for asking to replenish the supply of Summer Reading Program sign up sheets three times this week. Gina has averaged 20 sign ups every time she worked the desk since the sign up started. Thank you Gina for setting the pace!"

Bookstore opening next week and several Bright Spots

During the past few years, KPL has made efforts to eliminate a number of barriers to library service. This is not simply based on perception. When I talked with people at the Kenosha Expo, I repeatedly heard from people that they love the library but they don't use it anymore because they have fines they cannot pay or they are afraid their children will accumulate fines they just can't afford. In 2016, we eliminated fines on children's library materials and saw a spike in new library card applications. Next month we'll begin Read it Off, a program for teens to restore their library accounts to good standing by reading. As the years go by, we rely less and less on the amount we collect for overdue materials. Electronic reminders help people bring things back on time and online access to renew items makes it easy for people to "follow the rules." Libraries that have gone fine-free report much more community use and more positive relationships with their community. Most people comply with rules even if there is no penalty attached. As we approach the 2022 budget, I'll be looking for an opportunity to finally implement a fine-free Kenosha Public Library. 

From the Kenosha County Health department:
"On May 13th, the CDC released updated guidance that fully vaccinated people can resume activities they did before the pandemic, including participating in indoor and outdoor activities – large and small – without wearing a mask or physically distancing. Fully vaccinated people can also refrain from testing following a known exposure unless they are residents or employees of a correctional or detention facility or a homeless shelter. A person is considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 if it has been two or more weeks since they got the second dose in a two-dose series (such as Pfizer or Moderna), or one dose of a single-dose vaccine (such as Johnson & Johnson). This updated guidance solidifies DHS confidence in COVID-19 vaccines and reflects the effectiveness of vaccines in preventing the spread of disease.
With these guidance updates, there are important exceptions where everyone, including those who are fully vaccinated, should continue to wear a mask. Mask wearing should continue in health care settings, K-12 schools, correctional and detention facilities, homeless shelters, and public transportation as well as places where masks are required by local or tribal health laws, rules, and regulations, including local businesses and workplaces."

From Alejandria:

• Working with Teens training session is next week!: I'd like to give a reminder that Susannah and I are running a Working with Teens (In the Library) next Tuesday, May 25th from 8:00am-9:00am. The Zoom link is below. There is no need to register; just (virtually) show up! It will also be recorded in case you can't make it to the live session. This training is not just for YFS or those who are directly serving teens. We designed this training with all library staff in mind.
• We are beginning to accept Teen Volunteers again!: if a teen ages 14-17 would like to volunteer for the library, please give them a volunteer application and forward the completed volunteer application to me (Alejandria) at Southwest Library. I will contact them to complete the process once I receive their application. They can also apply virtually.
• Teen Librarians will be at SW & NS branches later most days: now that we are open full hours, Susannah and I have returned to our previous school-year schedule. Most days, we will be around NS & SW until 6:30 pm so that we can be here for any afterschool teens. I will probably be floating around the SW library to wherever the teens are and not at any particular desk.

News for the week:

• Kenosha.com posted a wonderful article about KPL's full reopening. Thanks to Aaron and Amy for making us proud! 
• FOL is planning to open the Afterwords bookstore at SW as soon as next week! They'll staff it with volunteers, social distance, and wear masks until the city's mask mandate is lifted. They're also contemplating a 4-day October sale at SW.
• Congratulations to Linda for graduating from the Leadership Kenosha program! 

A number of library friends are reaching out to express their disappointment that we were not selected for an IMLS medal this round. Here's a particularly beautiful message from Kurt Kiefer, the Assistant State Superintendent at DPI:"I wanted to let you know how disappointed I was to learn about the medal opportunity. If there ever were a more deserving library I could not find one. Your community engagement and advocacy was on high display in a significant way this year when it was most needed. The leadership you and your team showed was outstanding and a balm for the neighborhoods. I cannot thank you enough for that. In our minds within the division you are award winners and then some."

This week's Bright Spot nominations comes from Martha and Marcia:

"I would like to nominate Linda Noyce for a Bright Spot as we open all libraries to our normal hours. Throughout the pandemic year, Linda juggled challenges in Public Service and made decisions quickly. She provided flexible leadership and encouraged us all when the going was tough! Thank you, Linda!" (Martha)

"I would like to nominate our newest member of Outreach, Kim Parker. Kim studied hard and this week passed her DMV test for the CDL learners permit required to drive our bookmobile. She also covered two staff members out this week on short notice and is a true asset to KPL. We're lucky to have her!" (Marcia)

  

News for the Week

• Monday is our big day! We're back to evening hours at NS and SW! Our community will be overjoyed!
• The City of Kenosha's mask mandate is NOT on Monday's Common Council agenda. All I can tell you is, as long as there's a city mandate, we wear masks at work and ask our patrons to do so, too. Racine has lifted theirs, and Rock County lifted theirs. If you hear any official word that Kenosha has done the same from now till Monday, please alert me. I check my email every day, so that's a good way to let me know.
• Zander worked with the statistics we've kept since the beginning of the pandemic. Here are some clear graphs to help you see how library use has been returning to pre-pandemic levels. (be sure to look at all the graphs.) It's interesting to see how much adults like virtual programming and how tied children are to in-person programming. We'll listen to this information and continue virtual programs in addition to in-person as the restrictions get lifted. YFS already has dozens of events in parks this summer to safely offer programs to families in person. The graphs also show that our reference interactions are very robust. A higher percentage of people who walk in are stopping to ask questions than pre-pandemic. It may be the main reason they are returning- to interact with us!
• The American Recovery Plan Act will provide lots of money to Wisconsin libraries. We're waiting for DPI to release the list of grant opportunities and then we'll get going on our applications. Much of the money will be earmarked for technology, but there will be some for community engagement and other programs, as well.
• Our contract with Unique Management for collection agency services has been discontinued. We will no longer be using a collection agency for delinquent patron accounts. There are several reasons for the change. One is simply compassion, another is the return in dollars just didn't match the collection agency fees. The Library circulation policy has been updated to reflect the change.
• Clarification to help you talk with patrons who want to report a theft or accident on library grounds: If a patron wants to see library camera footage because they had something stolen at the library or their car was hit in our parking lots, please explain that they need to file a police report. The police will then call me for permission to see the footage. We'll provide the officer with the footage we have, if any, and the patron can resolve the issue with the police. It has to work this way in order to follow the law on patron privacy.
• Bad news: We didn't make the final top 3 to receive the National Medal for Library Service from IMLS. Good news: We're still getting t-shirts! We were a finalist, and only 15 libraries in America were named for that list, so let's brag!

Reminder:
Meg Medina joins us one week from now on Friday, May 21st at 6:30pm. Be sure to sign up on our website and tell all your friends!


Don't forget to send me your Bright Spot Award nominations! Make a co-worker's day!


Enjoy the beautiful weekend weather, everyone!
Barb

We're Getting an App

If you're a user of the SirsiDynix Bookmyne app, you know that all the app does is give you access to the library catalog and your account. We'd like to give people access to programs and calendars and meeting rooms and contact information and reference and so much more all through a mobile app. So SHARE is purchasing SirsiDynix Blue Could Mobile app as part of our contract renewal. We hope to have the app up and running this summer. 

From Linda:
The City of Kenosha is gathering input for the Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood (KIN), which will be built at the former Chrysler site. While there have recently been some in person meetings, and there will be more in the future, I encourage you to take the survey. I also encourage you to take the time to attend the in person meetings coming up in June and August.

The next Library Board meeting is Tuesday. There are a number of things on the agenda. We'll be asking the Board to cease using the Collection Agency as part of our efforts to remove barriers to library services. We're changing Jeremy and Sandy's job titles on the organizational chart and Rob will add Maintenance to his list of department responsibilities. Don't worry- Dan isn't going anywhere! Please continue to work with Dan for day to day issues.

Upcoming building projects:

• Installation of Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations at NS and SW
• Replacement of the existing air conditioners at Simmons with a geothermal system

Don't forget, we return to evening hours at NS and SW on May 17th.

The city has voted to keep their mask mandate in effect until May 27th. I will be working with the city's administration and legal department to understand how lifting the mandate will affect our ability to require face coverings  in the library. As soon as I have a firm answer, I will let you know.

We have 2 Bright Spots this week!

The first nomination comes from Patty: "This week, I would like to nominate Emily Kastelic for a Bright Spot Award for her empathetic, kind, and knowledgeable approach assisting a patron with completing and submitting an online form. Emily listened as the older woman mentioned experiencing a variety of life challenges and expressed hope for a positive outcome after submission of the document. Engagement involved conversation about a shared love of animals and humor to ease frustration about navigating the internet and using a keyboard."

And I nominate Sandy Bear for her generous and thoughtful spirit that brought SW a Cinco de Mayo lunch buffet from Taco Bell. Thanks for using our soda profits for such a fun treat!