IN DEPTH
Preparing for the present and the future
Over the last six weeks, Libraries Connected has been working with Heads of Service and members of their teams to develop a Service Recovery Toolkit. Chief Executive Isobel Hunter explains how priorities have been set and how the Toolkit will improve long-term and short-term resilience in public libraries.
THE toolkit (
https://bit.ly/2VwSHmY) has been developed in line with the government workplace advice and in dialogue with the three main unions. It is designed to share good practice advice and to look in detail at operational aspects of running a library service during the Covid-19 pandemic. Library services are some of the most complex council and community services to reopen, as they have multiple sites, each with unique building layouts, and they serve an incredibly broad range of users – some of whom may not fully understand all the Covid control measures.
Welfare is key
The key principle throughout the toolkit is ‘safety first’, and that staff, volunteers and users must be protected as much as possible. For libraries this will mean some difficult decisions on how to run services differently, or even to suspend them for the time being. Over the last few decades libraries have developed very personalised services with a high degree of close interaction between library workers and users – but this is simply not possible while the virus risk remains. Staff welfare is also a key concern through- out the process, and managers are commit- ted to supporting their wellbeing through planning and check-ins and ensuring they have access to mental health support when they need it.
The toolkit assumes that most libraries will make a phased recovery, determined by local risk assessments, available resources and staff and local priorities and needs. No two services, or library branches, will be the
26 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
Isobel Hunter (@hunterisobel) is CEO of Libraries Connected
www.librariesconnected.org.uk.
same, but the toolkit does set out a broad pathway that most services can follow at their own speed. So, initially there is likely to be a focus on Home Library Service and Order & Collect, with no or very limited access to buildings.
The next step will be controlled entry into buildings, with highly managed access to IT services and what I call a ‘drive through’ browsing experience. In this phase, the library experience will feel very different to what we are used to, with workers off the floor and behind screens, furniture removed so that users do not linger and an increase in book displays to encourage selection by eye rather than browsing. Some interesting suggestions have emerged on how to make the library still feel welcoming despite all the additional controls. For example, the use of bunting rather than hazard tape to mark out the ‘swim lanes’ for queues.
Online exploration
We have run a short series of webinars to accompany the toolkit, to provide a forum
June-July 2020
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