[Publib] Bird Flu Planning

[Judy Bennett]

My son works in the Office of the Secretary of Health & Human Services.  
The avian flu/pandemic is one of the major tasks in which he is 
involved.  I asked him when he was home last December for the holidays 
what preparations and plans should I be doing with the library on this 
issue.

Of course, he had some of the same common sense answers that are widely 
publicized.  My concern while the library is open  involves the handling 
of materials, germs being spread, etc.  Although I have not yet made any 
definitive plans or stocked up on items, I am giving serious 
consideration to staff using gloves, using lots of cleaning wipes and 
perhaps masks to protect from them from airborn germs.  Our library is 
directly across from a large doctor's office and we already get people 
who come in to the library who tell us the doctor has just sent them 
home to rest because they're ill.  Of course, they need something to 
read or watch or listen to before they do that -- we all know how that is!

When I asked my son specifically about plans to close he said that we 
should monitor the schools and when/if the schools close, the library 
should also close.  This idea goes against many of our policies because 
we like to be open for the public to use us when the schools are 
closed.  However, because the pandemic needs to be contained, public 
service departments like the library need to be closed to help with 
containment in the community.  I also specifically inquired about 
libraries who have traditionally followed the lead of their City Halls 
regarding closing policies and he said in the case of a pandemic the 
library most likely should close before city offices.  Obviously, parts 
of the City government will have to stay operational during a pandemic 
and most likely only minimal staff will be on duty; some of these 
workers, though, will may not have direct contact with the  public.  My 
son's recommendation is that a library should be of priority and be 
higher ranked than city offices on a community's recommended closing list.

My son didn't have a good solution about vaccinations for staff, other 
than to encourage employees to get a flu shot every year.  The flu shots 
currently available will provide only minimal protection against the 
bird flu but they do help provide better health and immunities that will 
be very important when/if a pandemic is in process.

One thing I haven't yet decided how to handle is the possible scenario 
involving staff who will not/refuse/cannot work when the library has not 
yet closed to the public; their fears will be valid.  I don't have any 
good answers for this one.

And then there's these issues: Do we close to the public to minimize 
containment but have staff continue to work?  What about pay during the 
closed time period?  My initial reaction to these questions is to say 
that we treat this like a closing for inclement weather; staff stays 
home and we pay, as the employees should not be penalized for situations 
out of their control.  Of course, even getting a paycheck may be a mute 
point depending on who actually cuts & distributes the library's payroll 
and whether or not they are working!

Whew!  One thing leads to another!  I'm sure, though, that we can all 
agree it is a complicated situation and, in my opinion, like all of our 
library services, must be tailored to our local community.

Judy

-- 
Judy K. Bennett
Director
Derby Public Library
611 Mulberry
Derby KS 67037
316-788-0760 (phone)
316-788-7313 (fax)
judy at derbylibrary.com