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Reopening during Coronavirus: examples and ideas
Last updated 7.6.20
Included below is information picked up from the UK and internationally, listing different approaches to reopening while Coronavirus is still endemic to some extent.
The advice below ignores the psychological impact of the increased risks involved in opening. For options there, see this article. It also focuses on those items specific for public libraries – for example, problems with small staff rooms etc are not included. The page is not included as a checklist but just for interest and as a place store information.
Reopening a library will likely be a phased process and may normally be expected to follow something like – closed, then housebound delivery, then click and collect, then open access with strict social distancing, then “normality” and events.
In addition, one size does not all, and so libraries in some areas may be able to safely open more than in others. Anecdotal evidence from shops suggests that demographics play a strong part in public willingness to obey social distancing, for example.
A physical service while the library is closed.
- Wifi – Have wifi on so that people can use the wifi outside of the library building.
- Home library service – Operational in many UK library services inc. Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, West Berkshire, Greenwich, Halton, Stockport. Staff should be provided PPE outside and social distancing in the library. Use their own cars but on voluntary basis. (that is, not forced to do it but still paid). 3 day quarantine required, with monthly deliveries. Call ahead to ensure public still want books / have old books waiting:
- How it works (Kensington and Chelsea)
Curbside/Click and Collect/Grab and Go. Give out books either in entrance area or (especially in the USA) to waiting car. Order via phone/email/online reservation. Here is how it work in one Danish library.
- Vulnerable resident registers with the Home Library Service
- Librarian contacts resident to discuss their favourite (and least-favourite) genres and authors
- Librarian uses this information and their own knowledge to compile a selection of books they think will be of interest
- Books are cleaned – especially important if they have a plastic dust jacket – and quarantined for 72 hours
- Library staff call resident to check they are well and still want the delivery
- Staff member drives books to resident’s doorstep, rings the bell and steps back to maintain two-metre distance
- After one month, the books are collected and exchanged for a fresh selection. Anything not read can be renewed and kept for another month.

Having the public in the library
- Public computers. Often essential for those job-hunting or needing help with benefits. Remove sufficient PCs so there is sufficient space between them. Appointment system. Make booking only possible via staff. Clean computers between sessions.
- Bookstock. 72 hours is the WHO guidance for the virus being viable on plastic and this on library books. Quarantine is expected for this period. Please not that this mean a 4-day or half-day system as books returned on Monday PM will not have been out of circulation for 72 hours by Thursday AM. Having somewhere to store the books being quarantined is vital – having them somewhere where staff and public can touch them is not recommended. An idea would be caged trolleys such as those used in retail if they are available.
- However, more recent evidence (late May) and thinking suggests that contamination from touching physical objects, while possible, is hugely less of a factor than being close contact with an infected person. It is notable that the public libraries open in several countries – Bremen (Germany) and Orange County (Florida) – do not quarantine books at all but focus on social distancing and protective equipment.

- Screens. Difficult for those library services which have removed counters and introduced floorwalking. Staff should not have library cards passed to them – the number should be read out by the customer.
- Social distancing. Hazard tape or other marking so keep 2 metres away. Possibility of one way systems where floor layout allows.
- Furniture and clutter. Remove all excess furniture and clutter e.g. chairs, leaflets, public stationery.
- Doors – keep open in public areas if possible.
- Limit numbers coming into the library to ensure social distancing possible. Australia suggest a certain number of people per library or per square metre of floorspace. Both New Zealand and Australia have some libraries having a maximum amount of time allowed and some have an “only one family member” rule.
- Cleaning: increase cleaning frequency. Clean desks and computers between staff if sharing of computers is necessary e.g. at public desk.
- “PPE” is a difficult term to define and is rarely up to hospital standards (nor should it be: such equipment is in rare supply and should be kept for health professionals). Where used, it normally means a facemask and gloves. It may also mean visors for those where close proximity is expected. Disinfectant/hand gel is an expected minimum in all cases. However, just having, for example, “gloves” is not enough – there needs to be a plan for ensuring they are only used by one person, regularly cleaned, etc.
- Staffing bubbles. Ensure staff contact with other staff is kept to a minimum via timetabling different teams, closing the staff room etc.
What might it look like if we fully opened libraries today? Springfield Public Library in the US has a go at illustrating that scenario for us… pic.twitter.com/5V74n5qcrn
— DCALondon (@DcaLondon) May 11, 2020
Near normality
- Open browsing. Difficult as even one person using shelves unsupervised theoretically means any item could be infected.
- Events. These will be some of the last things to be reinstated, including rhymetimes and storytimes.
International
The following video looks at the experience in Bremen (Germany) and Utrecht (Cologne), uploaded 29 May. Both library services are open and do not quarantine books:
- Australian libraries responding to COVID-19: Checklist for reopening libraries – ALIA. “Each library will have its own plans for reopening, depending on the sector and the specific needs of the library’s community, but the checklist provides a practical framework which outlines major considerations that library managers should be addressing, when planning to reopen their library.”
- COVID-19 Infection Prevention Tips for Libraries – Medium.
- Australia – Libraries reopen with easing of restrictions – Public Libraries Connect. “Customers have been welcomed back inside in some areas; while, in others, it’s a ‘click & collect’ service only. Some libraries are operating on regular hours, others on reduced hours.” … “For those allowing public access, a popular choice has been to encourage or enforce time limits, with restrictions between 15 to 30 minutes noted across the state.” … “Social distancing regulations mandate a maximum of 10 customers per space; though, for some smaller libraries, this number is less”
- Denmark – Official guidelines for reopening of the Danish libraries – Christian Lauersen. “Wednesday May 13 the Danish Ministry of Culture released the first set of guidelines for soft reopening of the Danish libraries. May 21 those guidelines was modified and this blog post is a translation of the guidelines meant to inspire others who are facing reopening in times to come.”
- Finland – Covid-19 and Finnish public libraries – Libraries.Fi. “on 4 May the government allowed all public libraries to restart their lending services immediately. The decision allowed libraries to offer limited services whilst the library premises remain largely closed until 1 June.” … Initially, “all seating and tables may have been removed from library premises, and all areas except for collection areas are locked or fenced off so people do not stay and spend excess time in the library.”
- Germany – Suggestions for Reopening of Libraries – 3-23-2020 – German Library Association.
- Global – COVID-19 and the Global Library Field – IFLA. “The information and resources below are provided on a non-exhaustive basis but will be updated regularly. It is based on publicly available information, and that submitted to updates@ifla.org. We welcome additional ideas, references, suggestions and corrections to this address. Please see also our FAQs specifically concerning IFLA”
- Ireland – can open from 8 June e.g. New ‘Call and Collect’ service at Dublin City Libraries – Dublin Libraries. “Dublin City Libraries are planning a ‘Call and collect’ collection service as part of the phased re-opening of libraries from 8th June. The first phase will be piloted in 6 branches from 8th June as follows …”
- ew Zealand – Libraries Offer Limited Service From Monday 25 May – Scoop. “District Libraries Manager Glenn Webster says from Monday people will be able to return library items via the after-hours facility, borrow items, request items and collect held items.” … ““People will have to show their library card to enter, so we can ‘contact trace’ if required. Only one family member is allowed at one time and the time spent in the library is limited.””
- Reopening Libraries in New Zealand: Slow and Steady Wins The Race – Justin the Librarian. “One of the things I’ve noticed in our first week of being open back up to the public is just how un-library-like our library feels as we adjust to being open” … “We were expecting a ton of materials to be returned to our libraries, but we’ve noticed that instead of it being too much it has just been a good and steady stream of returns.” …. “At the core of everything I am hoping to continually broadcast a message of kindness and communication.”
- Norway – Gjenåpning av bibliotek – Bibforb. Reopening experience. In Norwegian but online translation assists well.
- USA – Your Library is Reopening: How to Communicate New Rules to Your Staff and the Public During a Pandemic – Super Library Marketing.
- #ProtectLibraryWorkers & communities: Don’t reopen libraries until it’s safe – Change.org.
- Science-Based Reopening Plans in Everyday English – Library Journal. Excellent step by step guide.
- Tulsa City-County Library to reopen for express service – Black Wall Street Times. From June 22: “Express service includes curbside or in-library holds pickup along with browsing, copying, printing and faxing. Computer usage will also be available with a 30-minute time limit. Library buildings will observe limited occupancy at all locations during this time to support social distancing guidelines by local and state officials””
- We’re fighting to help library workers during the COVID-19 crisis – Protect Library Workers. “As the discussion has moved from closures to considerations for reopenings, library workers are starting to think about what safely returning to physical work may be like.”. US resources inc. safe reopening resources, tracking layoffs, templates etc. Following plans taken from this site:
- A Phased Reopening Plan for Libraries as COVID 19 Restrictions Are Lifted Written by a director at a large library system in Idaho, this outlines many different scenarios according to expected stages of recovery, and how libraries can safely respond to them.
- Utah Librares: Plan for Moving Towards Full Service
- Indiana Library Federation: Plan Outline in Phases from Library Closure to Reopening
- Oak Park (IL) Public Library COVID-19 Library Building Reopening: Phased Plan
- Midlothian (Wyoming) Tentative Reopening Plan
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Please send any news, comment or thoughts to ianlibrarian@live.co.uk.Numbers
From 1st April 2018 to March 2019, CIPFA reported 35 libraries closed cf 2017/2018 127 libraries lost. 2016/17 105 closed. 121 closed 2015/116, 106 2014/15, 29 2013/14, 201 2011/12 and 33 2010/11.
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