By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
As much as Library Director Michael Penrod would love to welcome the community to gather in the library, gathering isn’t safe yet, not for patrons, not for staff.
Instead, he told, the library’s Board of Trustees Thursday that he will continue to take a deliberate approach.
And he offered this blunt assessment: “The longer we can go without people in the building, the better we are.”
The tentative plan is to have patrons back in the library on July 6 for the first time since March 14. But it would be far from business as usual.
Patrons, age 3 and up, will have to wear masks. Those who for a health reason can’t wear a mask, or anyone who refuses can still receive services in other way.
Occupancy in Bowling Green will be limited to 50 patrons at a time plus staff, and they will only be able to stay for 30 minutes at most.
Children 13 and younger will have to be accompanied by an adult. Groups and families will be limited to four persons.
Fewer computers will be available, and they will be restricted to essential business and research use only. Appointments will have to be made to use the computers.
People who are sick or exhibiting symptoms will not be allowed to enter the building.
Patrons will have to practice social distancing and good hand washing hygiene.
All this is spelled out in a Temporary Code of Conduct Policy Addendum that the trustees discussed and approved.
Penrod said much has to be done before this limited opening can occur. He still doesn’t have enough hand sanitizer or disinfectant wipes. More Plexiglass shields need to be purchased and installed, and six-foot queue markers also need to set up among other jobs.
In the meantime, on June 6, the library plans to begin a delivery service within the municipal limits of Bowling Green, Walbridge, and Northwood. Depending on how that works out, he said, it may extend later to those served by the bookmobile.
Curbside pickup hours will be extended to 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday in Bowling Green and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday in Walbridge.
In its first seven days that service has been a success, with 409 patrons borrowing 2,583 items.
Penrod praised the job the staff has been doing during the shutdown.
He projected a photo of a young reader, Claire, with her favorite book and the crown she made to signify that she’s a “royal reader” who has read or had read to her 1,000 books as part of the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program.
“Everything we’re doing is for what this little girl needs,” he said. And her needs can be met without having people in the building.
Trustee Ken Frisch said he saw that same joy in his three granddaughters when they got their books from the library.
Penrod has been meeting virtually with the other seven Wood County library directors, Health Commissioner Ben Batey, and attorney Joyce Nowak from the county prosecutor’s office to discuss what opening would look like.
The code of conduct grew out of those discussions.
While all activities are at this point canceled through August, Penrod said he can envision they will be canceled through the rest of the year.
At this point, space within the library has been reallocated to give all staff members their own workspaces. The meeting room is being used for quarantining books that are returned. The other half is used for the cataloguing department.
He said the Carter House remains closed because he cannot spare the staff to clean up after events.
After layoffs earlier this month, the staff is 28, including himself and Assistant Director Michele Raine. Everyone is doing what they can to keep the library operating. Currently five are out on sick leave, he said.
Board President Brian Paskvan asked about the possibility of bringing back some of those laid off to help. Penrod said that was being considered.
Penrod said he is concerned that if an employee comes down with COVID-19 and exposes fellow employees, that could decimate the staff.
In personnel related items, the trustees modified the mileage reimbursement and the vacation time accrual policies.
In the past, employees were only reimbursed for trips of 10 miles or more. But if they are called on to deliver books, most of those trips will be less than that. So, the policy was changed to reimburse them for all business travel. Also, at the urging of trustee Nathan Eikost and Frisch, the reimbursement was increased from 30 cents a mile to the federal rate of 57.5 cents.
Also, employees will be able to carry over more vacation time. The current policy only allows them to carry over from year to year the amount they accrue in a year plus one week.
At this point, it is impossible for staff to use their vacation time, Penrod said.
Paskvan said he would ask the personnel committee to look at a permanent change in the policy which he said was “too tight.”
