Administrative Policy

Section 3: Pandemic Response Plan

PURPOSE OF PLAN:

• Prevent and reduce loss of life. Protect staff and patrons from pandemic disease and other critical accidents and disasters.
• Cooperate and coordinate with federal, state and local health agencies.
• Protect essential library services, facilities, equipment, materials, and records.
• Minimize damage to and loss of property.
• Ensure complete return to full library operation as quickly as possible.

PREPAREDNESS PLANNING TEAM: Excutive Director, all other Directors, Fiscal Officer, and other staff deemed necessary

The Preparedness Planning Team will make decisions during an emergency regarding health protection supplies, communication about the situation with staff and public, curtailment of services and/or closing of libraries, and staffing assignments during the emergency. The team will work closely with the Board of Trustees on policy decisions.

PLAN IMPLEMENTATION TOPICS:

• Hygiene
• Staffing and Services
• Communication
• Recovery

HYGIENE:

• A list of good hygiene practices will be posted on all staff bulletin boards.
• Hand sanitizers and tissues will be provided at all public service desks, at public computer reservation stations and all staff work areas.
• Hand washing awareness signs will be posted in all restrooms.
• Staff will be provided with disinfecting wipes and disposable gloves to assist in keeping work areas sanitized. Priorities include door handles, hand rails, telephones, and keyboards.
• Disposable gloves will be provided for employees to use when needed when interacting with patrons or handling materials.
• Staff is encouraged to use good personal infection measures (cover one’s mouth and nose when coughing/sneezing, wash hands often, avoid touching one’s eyes, nose or mouth, etc.)

STAFFING AND SERVICES:

During an emergency every effort will be made to maintain library services. Due dates, renewals, and overdue policies may be relaxed during this time.

The Planning Team will authorize any needed service changes in consultation with the Board of Trustees, the Ross County Health District, Sheriff’s Office, Chillicothe City Police, or other first responders.

Public meeting room use, public programs, and public use of library equipment may be curtailed or eliminated.

Staff may be re-assigned to a work area in a different area than usual, depending upon available personnel.

All staff will be asked to make sure their emergency contact information is up to date.

Staff that are ill will be encouraged to stay home at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (less than 100 degrees F or 37.8 degrees C) or free of signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.

The library recognizes that employee absences during a pandemic might be due to personal illness, family illness, community containment measures and quarantines, school closures, and public transportation closures. An employee will use accumulated sick leave or vacation or unpaid leave for such an absence.

Other arrangements will follow applicable personnel policies concerning leave and leave without pay.

The Planning Team will determine any changes in library hours or library closings due to the number of employees off work or public health/emergency official’s directives. Staff may be instructed to stay home.

Essential employees required to be on site in the event of an extended closure will be identified by the Planning Team and training will be provided in necessary tasks.

COMMUNICATION:

Information from authorities and referral information about the emergency will be widely disseminated via print and online resources. This will include awareness of the issue and proactive, preventative measures (if any) to take.

The Planning Team will alert staff to critical news affecting library services. Up-to-date information will also be provided as it becomes available via email, Intranet, and other means of direct communication.

Changes in service and library hours will be publicized in print and online resources.

RECOVERY:

Full library services will be restored as conditions permit. Public programs and meeting room use will resume when allowed by the relevant authorities.

If libraries have been closed for the pandemic, infrastructure will be evaluated and cleaning may be necessitated before re-opening.

Staffing needs will be evaluated and a return to full staffing will be instituted as soon as possible, depending on staff health and building conditions.