[Publib] TB in the library

[Judy Anderson]

I would contact the local health department and ask for information. There is a lot of ignorance about TB and people aren't aware of the truth. Most forms of TB aren't that readily contagious unless you share a household with someone. If the person has been diagnosed, I would assume the health department has been notified and the person is following the rules.

There's a certain amount of hysteria that can go with that diagnosis and it would be a good idea to stock brochures on the topic and use this as an educational opportunity. You might, after it becomes common knowledge, invite a public health
nurse or similar person to do a presentation on it at the library. 

I once worked with someone whose mother was diagnosed with TB and management panicked. They tried to order her not to come to work until her mother finished treatment. (Which can takes months or longer.) Instead, I suggested they have her go get a test and she could come back when she proved negative (which she did) and pay her in the meantime because they had no valid reason to keep her from working.

My mother tested positive for most of her life but never had it. My dad finally tested positive when he took care of her when she was dying of something else. So I tried to know something about it.

Judy Anderson
Washington

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> -----Original Message-----
> From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
> [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]On Behalf Of Chris (CE)
> Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 4:48 PM
> To: publib at webjunction.org
> Subject: [Publib] TB in the library
> 
> 
> Dear Colleagues,
> 
> I would like some advice about the following situation.
> 
> Small, one-room library has a board member with tuberculoses.
> 
> Since this is a small town everyone in town either already knows or will 
> eventually know that this person has TB.
> 
> The other day this board member came into the library to use the 
> computers to find out about TB.
> 
> The person wore a mask.
> 
> The librarian wants some advice on how to serve this board member patron 
> while protecting the healthy of patrons, the reputation of the library 
> as a healthy place.
> 
> Has anyone out there served contagious patrons before?
> 
> If so what did you do?
> 
> Chris Rippel
> Central Kansas Library System
> Great Bend, Kansas
> 
> 
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