We hope this email finds you well. We are writing here with a brief update on PCCLD.
Library leadership continues to monitor the circumstances with regard to the COVID-19 public health crisis. COVID-19 is having an unprecedented impact on PCCLD, our community, our region, our country, and throughout the world. It is critically important to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus as much as possible by maximizing social distancing. As you know, this means PCCLD has extended closure of all library buildings to the public through April 19. We will apprise you immediately if this changes. This decision to temporarily close PCCLD buildings to the public is in support of the greater good.
PCCLD library buildings may remain closed to the public for now, but this doesn't mean PCCLD is idle. Many staff are working on essential functions from home and traveling periodically to library buildings with a "travel letter" signed by the Executive Director. Ongoing staff activities include security, human resources and payroll, facilities maintenance and custodial, finance and accounts payable, technical services and IT, and community relations and marketing. Here are some other highlights:
-PCCLD online services are seeing a significant bump in use by the public. These include online research databases, eBooks, eAudiobooks, streaming films, AskUs, etc.
-Librarians are working virtually from home and spinning up online programming, such as online storytimes, book clubs, readers advisory services, library tech help, "at home" learning and more.
-We are beginning work to reopen our PCCLD telephone call center. This means individual staff will be answering PCCLD's main telephone line from their individual home work spaces to respond to the public's questions about PCCLD and other telephone reference work.
-Our social media interaction data points have increased a lot in the past couple of weeks. A recent report shows more than a 50% increase in PCCLD social media activity during the last couple of weeks.
-We have formed a work group tasked with organizing processes for reopening buildings to the public down the road.
-Other activities are continuing as well. Librarians, managers, administrators, and other support teams are using Google Hangouts Meet a lot to facilitate virtual staff meetings and activities. We have deployed a number of laptops, chromebooks and hotspots to support staff in working from home when this is helpful. We also are projecting ahead toward likely
changes in some of our upcoming pursuits like summer reading and similar ventures.
Overall, PCCLD is in relatively good shape all things considered. We are pleased to be able to continue paying regular full time and part time employees based on normal weekly hours. This means that staff will continue to be redeployed as needed and you should stand by for details. Instruction will come from your manager or an administrator.
If you have questions or comments, you are encouraged to reach out to your supervisor, Terri Daly in Human Resources, or either of us.
Jon Walker
Executive Director
Sherri Baca
Associate Executive Director
