QUEENS PUBLIC LIBRARY REOPENING PLAN QPL’S PATH FORWARD IN THE ERA OF COVID-19 June 23, 2020 REOPENING PLAN QPL’S PATH FORWARD IN THE ERA OF COVID-19 CONTENTS Introduction 3 Stages of Reopening 10 Health and Safety Measures 4 Stage 1: To-Go Service 14 Personal Protective Equipment Initial Locations and Cleaning and Disinfectant Supplies 4 To-Go Service 14 Physical Distancing 4 Initial Locations Fulfllment Services and Returns 14 Education, Training, and Support 5 Hours Open to the Public 15 Health Screening 5 Branch Stafng Model 15 Infection Response 5 Mail-a-Book 15 Facilities Cleaning, Disinfecting, and Maintenance 6 City Partnerships 15 Materials Handling 6 Stage 2: Limited Access 16 Distributed Workforce 7 Stage 3: New QPL 17 Communications 8 Digital Collections and Programs 9 QUEENS PUBLIC LIBRARY | 2 REOPENING PLAN QPL’S PATH FORWARD IN THE ERA OF COVID-19 INTRODUCTION In order to help stem the spread of COVID-19, Queens A Reopening Task Force including leadership and staf Public Library closed all of our physical locations on across departments has worked to develop this plan, March 16, 2020. Since then, thanks to our dedicated in consultation with the Library’s Board of Trustees and talented staf, we have adapted quickly and and our union partners, and informed by evolving resolutely to meet our mission, delivering critical City, State, and Federal guidance, executive orders, services, programs, and resources to the public and laws, information and recommendations from remotely and ofering everyone – no matter who they public health authorities, and experiences of other are, where they come from, or the challenges of our organizations around the world. We also have been uncertain times – the chance to realize the promise of coordinating with Brooklyn Public Library and The New their lives. York Public Library and ensuring consistency of service across the city. We will continually assess and refne our At the same time, we have been thoughtfully and service delivery model, operating procedures, and the carefully formulating a plan for the eventual reopening ways staf work, monitoring and responding to shifting of our sites, with the health and safety of Library staf conditions and to emerging guidance, information, and customers at the forefront of every decision we feedback, and evaluation. make. We recognize the disproportionate toll the virus has taken on our communities and will reopen As we begin to step cautiously back into our physical cautiously, gradually, and intentionally, in stages, spaces and welcome customers inside, the Library will starting with a small number of locations ofering continue to reimagine and expand our services and limited service to the public and expanding over time as respond to the diverse needs of the public. We know circumstances allow. our staf and the communities we serve are resilient and strong, and together, in the face of the ongoing crisis, we will rebuild. Dennis M. Walcott President and CEO QUEENS PUBLIC LIBRARY | 3 REOPENING PLAN QPL’S PATH FORWARD IN THE ERA OF COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES At all stages and levels of service, the Library will continue to follow the most up-to-date guidance from public health ofcials in order to ensure the safety of staf and customers. Health and safety practices and protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will remain in efect as long as necessary. Personal Protective Equipment and Cleaning and Disinfectant Supplies Physical Distancing • Staf will be required to wear a mask at • Disposable gloves will be available for • Library staf will practice physical • Occupancy of spaces such as work any time they are within six feet staf to wear as needed. distancing with respect to other workrooms, staf lounges, and of another person except when not library staf, customers, and other elevators will be limited depending advised for health reasons or due to • Disinfectant cleaners will be available visitors, maintaining six feet of on the size of the spaces, and tightly emergency circumstances. for regular surface cleaning as needed. distance between people unless safety confned spaces will be occupied at • Hand sanitizer, containing 60% or or a core function of the work activity below 50% capacity. • Reusable cloth face masks will be requires a shorter distance. issued to each staf person to wear more alcohol, will be available for staf • Customer access to and use of while working on-site. as well as customers. • Staf and public spaces will be buildings will be limited. confgured in order to help ensure • Customers and other visitors to distancing and a safe environment. • In-person staf gatherings Library locations will be required to and meetings will be limited, wear face coverings when entering • Wellness and safety barriers, sneeze and teleconferencing or and inside our buildings, as refected in guards, and stanchions will be installed videoconferencing will be used signage at these locations. in staf and public areas as needed. whenever possible. • Signage and foor markers will be • The sharing of objects among staf used to denote appropriate spacing should be limited, and the touching of and foot trafc fow for staf and the shared surfaces discouraged. public. QUEENS PUBLIC LIBRARY | 4 REOPENING PLAN QPL’S PATH FORWARD IN THE ERA OF COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES Education, Training, and Support Health Screening Infection Response Staf will participate in training regarding new service As currently required by NYS Executive Order, In the event that an employee or other individual models, health and safety practices and protocols, before reporting to work on-site each day, staf will who has been on-site at a Library location has a respiratory and blood-borne pathogens, hand be required to complete a wellness questionnaire reported confrmed or suspected case of COVID-19, hygiene, and use of PPE, including the necessary regarding known COVID-19 exposure and the Library will respond immediately to prevent regular cleaning of Library-issued face coverings. symptoms over the past 14 days. Staf who have potential spread according to the Library’s Infection The Library will continue to provide updated tested positive for COVID-19, exhibited symptoms Response Protocol, including: guidance and resources to staf, as well as support associated with COVID-19, or have been in • Making required notifcations: Internally, a Library for their well-being and mental health. Informing close contact with someone with a confrmed or and educating the public about COVID-19, ways to Health and Safety ofcial will work with the suspected COVID-19 case in the past 14 days will employee and their supervisor to determine the prevent transmission, and mental health issues will not report to work. Staf will be required to take also remain critical. need and extent of notifcation of individuals (e.g., their temperatures each day before reporting to other employees or visitors) who may have come work. The Library will review such staf assessments in contact with the employee. Externally, a Library daily and document its review. Health and Safety ofcial will contact state and local health departments responsible for contact Signage and other communications will direct tracing. customers not to enter if they have symptoms associated with COVID-19 or have had known • Supporting ongoing contact tracing eforts and exposure to someone with COVID-19. providing information required by public health regulators. • Disinfecting afected areas. • Providing employees necessary leave from work. QUEENS PUBLIC LIBRARY | 5 REOPENING PLAN QPL’S PATH FORWARD IN THE ERA OF COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES Facilities Cleaning, Disinfecting, and Maintenance Materials Handling • Cleaning and disinfecting protocols are in place, • Frequently touched surfaces like tables, doorknobs, The Library will follow guidance from public health and custodians will continue to participate in light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, authorities and the REALM (REopening Archives, training on proper cleaning and disinfecting. keyboards, toilets, faucets, sinks, and touch screens Libraries and Museums) project, a research Custodial staf will maintain daily logs documenting will be cleaned and disinfected routinely. partnership between OCLC, the Institute of Museum cleaning and disinfecting work performed at and Library Services, and Battelle focused on each location. Necessary equipment and supplies, • Restrooms will be available for use by staf and will creating and distributing science-based information including EPA-registered cleaning products, have be cleaned and disinfected routinely. and recommended practices to reduce the risk of been stocked. • Staf common areas will be cleaned and disinfected transmission of COVID-19, including how library materials should be handled. In accordance with the • Prior to the return of other staf to Library routinely. Disinfectant supplies will be available for all staf to use as desired. latest recommendations and best practices, returned locations, custodians will clean according to CDC items will be quarantined for 72 hours in designated and NYS DOH protocols and ensure that hand • High-contact areas accessed by customers will be containers before being processed and checked in, sanitizing stations are available, and soap dispensers cleaned and disinfected routinely. shelved in the collection, designated for customer are flled in branch bathrooms and staf lounges. pick-up, or sent for fulfllment at another location. • The Library’s cleaning