Instructor

Amy Ward
Associate Dean of Libraries
West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Instructor

Deirdre Childs
Access Services Manager
West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Course Highlights

• 1h 55m of video instruction
• Downloadable resources

Course Details

Released 7/2/2020

Learning Outcome
After participating in this online training, library leaders will have ideas from peers for how to handle the complexities involved in reopening libraries.  Overview
Most university libraries have shut down or have significantly modified their operations. Now, the task at hand is to reopen or maintain safe operations under new conditions in the fall. Though circumstances are unique, most institutions will face a similar set of challenges.  

Join us for an up-to-date discussion that will help you navigate the reality of the continuously evolving COVID-19 crisis. This session will feature the latest thinking across the industry as well as considerations that are just beginning to emerge as we get deeper into reopening planning. 

This dialogue with other library leaders across higher ed will center around best practices in three main topic areas: essential services, safety, and effective decision making and planning. Our experts will guide the discussion around these themes and help the group determine the most pressing questions and challenges to collectively unpack. 

Who Should Attend
Deans, directors, and other high-level library faculty and staff will benefit from a continued dialogue of the complex factors and challenges associated with reopening library operations while maintaining safety and productivity.  Agenda
Though the discussion will largely be guided by attendee questions and needs, we will launch each part with key questions, such as: 

Part 1: Essential Services 

• How can you leverage partnerships with services outside of the library like the bookstore, department of public safety, campus IT, facilities, etc. to make planning more efficient and cost-effective? 
• How will you communicate to users so they are aware of your virtual presence and don’t confuse being closed with being unavailable? 
• What resources and services are essential? What can be deprioritized for the time being? 
• How do you plan projects and manage expectations for frontline staff? 

Part 2: Safety 

• How will you manage monitoring and enforcement in common spaces? 
• For staff with underlying health conditions, what do flexible working options look like? 
• For those working in-person, do they have access to PPE? Where is it coming from and who is paying for it? 

Part 3: Effective Decision Making, Planning, and Implementation 

• How can you use federal, state, regional, and university guidelines and protocols to create your own? 
• Even if you do not have all the information, what decisions, prioritization, communication, or planning can be done now?  
• What is the latest thinking to create a multi-phased scenario plan? 

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