The Mechanicville District Public Library is committed to serving its community. To ensure our patrons, staff, and community’s safety during this Pandemic, the Library Board of Trustees has adopted the below Reopening Plan. We also consider it our duty to develop these measures to keep our services accessible at this time. Staff at the Mechanicville District Public Library have the authority to enforce these measures like any other of the Library’s Policies.

We thank you for adhering to the below practices; if you should have any concerns about the plan please direct them to our Library Director.

Phase One

Staff Only: No public allowed in building

Following the guidance of SALS (the Southern Adirondack Library System), the precedence of member libraries, government, and public health recommendations, the Library Director will establish a reopening date for the Mechanicville District Public Library, in coordination with the Board of Trustees. To prepare for this opening date, all staff will report to the library building to work a schedule to be determined by the Library Director (this may be a modified schedule or a decreased number/percentage of normally scheduled hours). Any remaining normally scheduled hours will be completed at home during this time. While working in the building, staff will clean surfaces, process returns, establish quarantine system for returns, answer calls and messages from the public, handle tasks assigned by the Director, reorganize furnishings, prepare building for public access, and continue planning exercises and collection development. The Mechanicville District Public Library Reopening Plan is in response to COVID-19 and every effort will be made to maintain social distance while at work and additional workspaces will be set up. Face masks and gloves will be provided to staff. Plexiglass shields will be put in place at the Circulation Desk. The public will be allowed and encouraged to return materials to the outdoor book return box during this time. All returned items will be brought inside the library by staff wearing PPE and the items will be quarantined for a length of time determined by SALS.

Phase Two

Curbside Service: Some public services restored, no public allowed in building.

Timing to be determined by SALS startup committee, working to set a consistent opening date for all member libraries. At this stage, services will be provided at curbside only, as no public will be allowed in the building yet. Members can request items via phone initially, until the Polaris Online Request System is back up and running as per usual (EST. 6/25/2020), and all patrons will be called once their holds arrive (even those patrons who normally receive email notices) so that we can arrange a pickup date and time. Every effort will be made to contact the patron to arrange a convenient pickup time. Pickup dates and times will be handwritten on hold slips and stored with items.

Once the patron arrives at their specified pickup time, they will be instructed to call the library to alert us of their presence and staff will bring checked out items to their vehicle and request to view ID. If the patron is walking the can call or knock and we will bring the items out to the table for contactless delivery.

Hours will be publicly announced for curbside delivery and all voice messages will be checked within one business day. It will be requested that all returns be made to the outdoor book return box. All returned items will be brought inside the library by staff wearing PPE and quarantined for a length of time to be determined by SALS. Staff will be masked when dealing with the public. They can wear provided gloves to deliver items and/or wash was their hands after the delivery is made. It is hoped that members of the public will also be masked. Every effort will be made to keep contact very limited.

At this time the Mechanicville District Public Library will resume normal operating hours: Monday & Wednesday 11a-8p, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 11a-6p and Saturday 11a-3p.

Phase Three

Open to Public with Limited Access:

Public will be allowed in the building at this time for pickup of requested items or to request an item. The book stacks will remain closed to the Public. Patrons will be asked to remain in the area between the front door and circulation desk only, including the public restroom. Pick up of materials will continue and be done either inside or at the curbside. Additional services now available are: faxing, copying, printouts via e-print, all done by staff to limit contact on machines. Notary service will be available by appointment only. Public will have access to the PC Catalog to place requests. Prohibited areas may be roped off. All patrons will be asked to wear a mask or some form of protective face covering for the nose and mouth but the Library will not provide these. Patrons inside the building will be asked to maintain 6 feet of distance between themselves and others whenever possible to follow social distancing guidelines, the library will place distancing markers on the floor. Due to the small size of the library and recommendations from government concerning capacity limits, some patrons may temporarily asked to queue outdoors on the sidewalk. Those who are immune-compromised or elderly are encouraged to use Curbside Service or contact the library for a special arrangement. Staff will be provided masks and gloves and social distancing guidelines will be followed to the best of our ability. It will be requested that returns continue to be made to the outdoor book return box. Quarantine of materials will still be required. Hand sanitizer will be available at the Circulation Desk. Public meeting space will not be available. All library events will be held virtually.

Phase Four

Open to Public with Precautions:

Library open to public with precautions in place to enforce social distancing. Normal operating hours and staff schedules in effect. Closed stacks possible if quarantine of materials is ongoing. In this phase, the public will be allowed entrance to all areas of the Library. There may still be a state mandate on the number of people allowed in the building based on local codes or size. If this is the case, public access to the building will only be through the front door. Staff will monitor the number of people in the building at all timesand may ask patrons to queue outdoors for a time. Computer use will be limited to designated PCs (every other machine) to encourage distance and will be limited to one hour per day to compensate for increased demand. Library seating will be limited and set up to encourage social distancing. The idea will be to encourage library use, but not lingering. Masks and distancing will still be strongly encouraged for all patrons. Disinfecting wipes and/or keyboard covers will be provided depending on availability. Any in-person programs will (by necessity) be very limited in participants or take place outside (while still maintaining social distancing) or continue virtually online. In-house access to magazines and newspapers will depend on current recommendations regarding viability of the COVID-19 Virus on paper. Public will not be able to reserve the Main Reading Room, Children’s Area, or the Ellsworth Room during this time. No toys or children’s non-circulating items will be out for use until public health officials give the all-clear on resuming normal activities. It will be requested that all returns be made to the outdoor book return box. Curbside service will be available by appointment. Staff will be masked for all interactions with the public. Floor decals may need to be adjusted or removed at this stage. Plexiglass barriers will still be needed at this stage.

Phase Five

Normal Operations: All Normal Operations Resume

All plans are dependent on adequate supplies, PPE and staffing capabilities. Cleaning will be increased during phases 1-4.

ADA: In the event that any safety requirement is not practicable on the basis of a disability, please contact the Library Director to explore a reasonable accommodation. Code of Conduct Adherence to these practices shall be enforced as a requirement of the Library’s Code of Conduct until such time as this Reopening Plan is revoked by the Board of Directors of the Mechanicville District Public Library.