I would like to share with you the planning for reopening the libraries within the MLS system. Therefore, I would like you to know about the plan and the thinking behind it.     

It is when communities are in crisis that the libraries can be of great benefit to the community they serve. As in Ferguson when the public library remained open to serve the public as a place of peace within the chaos of the community; as in the Brooklyn Library serving as a community support center helping displaced people recover their lives and seek aid in the great damage from Superstorm Sandy engulfing New York City; so now must our library step forward and provide assistance and service to our community in these times of Covid and its impact in our communities. 

Our library has a history in helping the city in challenging times. In the 1918 pandemic, what would become the MLS library provided staff to operate the city's telephone operator station to connect people to the resources and agencies they needed when the whole operator staff was hit with the Spanish Flu. The library also served as an aid station to those working with the sick and recovering and a supply distribution point. So, we have done this before. 

Now as a public service organization with a public service mission, MLS needs to resume our engagement with our customers to provide needed public services in these challenging times. We are being asked by our communities to provide the library services they need to respond to the Covid crisis. So, we must resume our provision of services, but in doing so, we will prioritize and balance the mission of the library with the safety of our staff members. 

MLS will be engaging in the next steps of reopening beginning August 31, 2020. The planning for reopening the library is based on a holistic and objective approach and will emphasize the safety of the staff while we are doing it. We will be using CDC guidelines and the Oklahoma State Department of Health, which provides a color coded “at risk” alert system by county to determine which step of the reopening we should be in as we progress. For more information or to check the current status of Oklahoma County, please visit:  https://coronavirus.health.ok.gov/covid-19-alert-system 

We are communicating the plan and the criteria for implementing each step of the process of reopening to you in advance. As the County risk status changes, we will change our step of service reopening to correspond accordingly, either forward (towards Green) or backward (towards Red) as the county's status indicates. There is no predetermined timetable for moving to another step; we will follow the State's risk assessment status as it develops. Everyone will be able to monitor the status to know where we will be in the reopening. Presently we are in the Orange status, so we will be using the "Grab and Go" steps below to implement our reopening. Please find the details of the plan listed below.

In addition to the safety precautions we have taken, we have a new element of safety we can now use in our reopening process that we did not before: requiring mask use by all customers. Because of the new mask requirement ordinances throughout the county, as a library system, we can now require customers to use masks when in all of our facilities during the duration of these ordinances. We will be posting signage on all facilities' doors to let customers know that a mask will be required for entry into the building. If a customer does not to wear a mask, then either contact the security guard for assistance or inform the customer that they will need to have a mask in order for you to assist them. The status of current mask ordinances is below:  

Mask Mandates in Oklahoma County   

Masks are required at locations inside the cities who have mandated it.  

• OKC - (expires September 8, 2020) *scheduled to vote again on Sept. 1, 2020 
• Warr Acres - (expires September 8, 2020)  
• Midwest City - (expires September 22, 2020)  
• Del City – (expires November 4, 2020)  
• Edmond - (effective August 26 – October 12, 2020)  
• Choctaw – (effective September 5 – October 6, 2020)  
• Bethany – Council did meet and decided no mandate.  
• Harrah – no action   
• Jones – no action  
• Luther – no action  
• Nicoma Park – no action   

Components for Each Step of the Reopening

Guidelines for Reopening Libraries

Staff will be given at least a five (5) day notice prior to moving forward into a next stage.  

Staff Only Stage (RED) 

This phase starts with Supervisory staff returning to work, prior to full staff returning and schedules adjusted for the hours supervisory/Librarian-in-charge staff are in the building. All hours worked in building should be entered in pay.com as regular.   

Work to be done during this stage includes: 

• Clearing book drop (daily) 
• Creating a space for “Book Quarantine”, if appropriate 
• Shelving materials 
• Emergency Telework available for designated staff (this stage only) 

OUR CURRENT STATUS until August 30, 2020
 

Curbside Stage (RED) 

Services Include: 

• Curbside pickup of holds/materials  
• Bonus Bags for children 
• Copy of ID for voting purposes (statewide agreement to provide this service) 
• Virtual Programming/take-home kits (as staffing and scheduling allows) 

Hours (to the public)*: 

• M-Th: 9-7p 
• Fri:  9-6p  
• Sat 9-5p 
• Sun 1-6p

*The hours at HA, JN, LU, NP, WR will be regular hours of operation. 

Focus
Providing customers with holds checked out to the customer and delivered to their car when they arrive at the library and call. We recognize this process is labor intensive and all library staff should work to assist to deliver this service. 

OUR NEW STATUS beginning on August 31, 2020

Grab–n–Go Stage (ORANGE) 

Because of the mask mandate issued by the City of Oklahoma City, masks (worn properly) are required in all locations.

Hours (to the public)*: 

• M-Th: 9-8p 
• Fri:  9-6p  
• Sat 9-4p
• Sun 1-5p 

*This will shorten the hours by one hour each day (except Friday) to allow cleaning the building.  The hours at HA, JN, LU, NP, WR will be regular hours of operation. 

Services Include: 

• Self Service Options: 
  • Copy/Fax/Scan 
  • Self-Check Out / Express Check Out 
  • Pick up of holds 
  • Select other materials from the collection 
• Limited computer use: 
  • Sessions will be 30 minutes each, two sessions per day
  • Sessions are by appointment 
  • Computers are spaced to be socially distant.  
• Curbside Service/Bonus Bags: 
  • M-Th: 1-7p 
  • Fri: 1-6p 
  • Sat: 1-5p 
  • Sun: 1-6p 
• Virtual Programming/take-home kits 

Focus
Customers to be more self-sufficient and spend minimal time in the building. The name of this stage is intentional to encourage customers not to linger.  Staff need to focus on CAN – DO attitudes in messaging and frontline practice and find ways to safely interact with and assist customers. 

Special Notes for staff: 

• Cash handling and daily deposits will resume (remember to wear gloves) 
• Other than computer chairs, no seating should be made available 
• All toys and interactives should be removed from the public floor 
• Materials returned in the outdoor book drops 
• Frequently touched areas should be cleaned at least 3x per day.  These areas include public computers, self-check/express checks, copy/scan/fax machines. 
• Book Quarantine will continue for all returned items.     
• Library staff should place all materials in quarantine which are known to be touched by customers.  
• Displays are discouraged.  If a display is created, all items not circulated should be placed in quarantine at the end of each day. 
• Public Restrooms should be open. 
• Onsite Libraries will have a limited return (30%-50% at the discretion of the location). 
• Suggest A Title is available. 
• ILL will resume 

Sit and Stay Stage (YELLOW) 

Hours (to the public)*: 

• M-Th: 9-8p 
• Fri:  9-5p  
• Sat 9-4p 
• Sun 1-5p

*This will shorten the hours by one hour each day to allow cleaning the building.  The hours at HA, JN, LU, NP, WR will be regular hours of operation. 

Services Include: 

• Limited seating 
  • One chair per table 
• Materials may be returned inside 
• Outdoor programming may be offered at the discretion of the local library manager 
• Self Service Options: 
  • Copy/Fax/Scan 
  • Self-Check Out / Express Check Out 
  • Pick up of holds 
  • Select other materials from the collection 
• Limited computer use: 
  • Sessions will be 1 hours each, two sessions per day 
  • Sessions are by appointment 
  • Computers are spaced to be socially distant.   
• Curbside Service: 
  • M-Th: 1-6p 
  • Fri: 1-6p 
  • Sat: 1-5p 
  • Sun: 1-6p 
• Virtual Programming/take-home kits           

Focus
Increase our computer sessions, provide seating, and study rooms. Bonus bags will available by request, only. 

Fully Open (GREEN)

• Full service 
• In-person programming 
• Toys returned to children’s area 
• Kids computers are available 
• Book Quarantine will stop 
• Meeting Rooms available 
• Curbside Service: 
  • M-Th: 2-6p 
  • Fri: 2-6p 
  • Sat: 2-5p 
  • Sun: 1-6p