Libraries

[Anonymous]

Isn't all of this moot? Stay at home orders for the DMV are in place until early June. Libraries can't do anything right now anyway.

And lots of library staff are working behind the scenes, doing digital story times, providing online chat services, etc. Administrators are preparing a plan for "re-opening" for whenever the stay at home orders are lifted.

I would be very surprised if any libraries locally actually opened their doors to the public this summer. Social distancing is almost non-existent in a lot of libraries. Don't expect a lot of computers or story times. This is a major concern for library staff nationwide. Once libraries open their doors, its really hard to limit who comes in the door. Library rules of behavior will have to be rewritten and approved by their governing boards.

If you really want a service, now is the time to be asking your libraries about it. Book drop off for the elderly? Wi-fi hotspot check out? Lots of libraries have offered these things, but they are still subject to their government orders. Also, yes, a significant amount of staff will probably be furloughed when fiscal years change. There is not enough tax money coming in to fund things at the same level they were before.

And to the PP who said why can't staff just wash their hands instead of wearing gloves--I know several library staff members who wore gloves every time they handled books before all of this. Library books are dirty and there are often not sinks near the work areas.

[Anonymous]

I haven't gone through pages of stuff, but the reading specialist at DD's school pointed out a good site for free e-books for kids.

MackinVIA - If you have a child that goes to FCPS, they can log in with their school ID, to access it. I'm not sure if other school systems provide the same.

[Anonymous]

My library just sent a notice that they are starting book pick-ups by appointment. It's a good move, so long as the workers feel safe and comfortable doing it.

[Anonymous]

Vienna library is due for extensive renovations to include a town parking garage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just got an email from FCPL with updates - and there was no word on holds pick-up. In fact they reiterated the parts about keeping your library books at home, no overdue fines, no new ILLs, and hold pick-up dates being extended...

So disappointed.

They are worse than the teachers! Full pay for literally no work. Why don’t they have to live in the real world with everyone else?

I've wondered if everyone is still full pay despite doing almost nothing (one librarian does 30min virtual storytime per week where we live).
If it's true I'm so jealous.

[Anonymous]

Many libraries in other counties and states have figured out the curbside pick up model.

i know of one that drops the bag in your trunk. Another brings the bag and puts it on a table then walks away. Once they are away, you can get out of your car and pick up the bag. Neither are accepting returns at this time.Another has sets of 5 books pulled at random for ages or by subject, like a grab bag (I'm not sure how that one works for tracking what books you have)

Fairfax could certainly figure something out along these lines. It wouldn't be perfect, and it would be slower, and perhaps with how much criticism people in this area are quick to give out, the library is hesitant to even try. But i wish we could do something!

[Anonymous]

What counties are these? This is a good suggestion. We need to bring that to MoCo public libraries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many libraries in other counties and states have figured out the curbside pick up model.

i know of one that drops the bag in your trunk. Another brings the bag and puts it on a table then walks away. Once they are away, you can get out of your car and pick up the bag. Neither are accepting returns at this time.Another has sets of 5 books pulled at random for ages or by subject, like a grab bag (I'm not sure how that one works for tracking what books you have)

Fairfax could certainly figure something out along these lines. It wouldn't be perfect, and it would be slower, and perhaps with how much criticism people in this area are quick to give out, the library is hesitant to even try. But i wish we could do something!

I totally agree. Fairfax is so lame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just got an email from FCPL with updates - and there was no word on holds pick-up. In fact they reiterated the parts about keeping your library books at home, no overdue fines, no new ILLs, and hold pick-up dates being extended...

So disappointed.

They are worse than the teachers! Full pay for literally no work. Why don’t they have to live in the real world with everyone else?

I've wondered if everyone is still full pay despite doing almost nothing (one librarian does 30min virtual storytime per week where we live).
If it's true I'm so jealous.

My field is sort of tangential to a major university library, and I know the librarians there are using the time to work on the dozens of long-term projects that are always in the background but nobody ever actually has time to work on. Things like database cleanup, verifying and tidying cataloging records, cleaning up patron records, etc. They can’t get into the building to do any work in the stacks, but so much of behind-the-scenes library work is electronic these days that there are almost certainly things that can be done at home.

[Anonymous]

^^^^But if a business couldn’t serve its primary function, serving its customers, it wouldn’t keep all its staff on a full pay to “clean up client records.” It’s a boondoggle.

And watch, everyone’s property tax will go up next year due to the “budget shortfall.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many libraries in other counties and states have figured out the curbside pick up model.

i know of one that drops the bag in your trunk. Another brings the bag and puts it on a table then walks away. Once they are away, you can get out of your car and pick up the bag. Neither are accepting returns at this time.Another has sets of 5 books pulled at random for ages or by subject, like a grab bag (I'm not sure how that one works for tracking what books you have)

Fairfax could certainly figure something out along these lines. It wouldn't be perfect, and it would be slower, and perhaps with how much criticism people in this area are quick to give out, the library is hesitant to even try. But i wish we could do something!

I totally agree. Fairfax is so lame.

MoCo is just as lame. The best they can do is storytime with a local councilman. They need to do more than just that. Everyone else is offering online tutorials of doing this or that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many libraries in other counties and states have figured out the curbside pick up model.

i know of one that drops the bag in your trunk. Another brings the bag and puts it on a table then walks away. Once they are away, you can get out of your car and pick up the bag. Neither are accepting returns at this time.Another has sets of 5 books pulled at random for ages or by subject, like a grab bag (I'm not sure how that one works for tracking what books you have)

Fairfax could certainly figure something out along these lines. It wouldn't be perfect, and it would be slower, and perhaps with how much criticism people in this area are quick to give out, the library is hesitant to even try. But i wish we could do something!

I totally agree. Fairfax is so lame.

Honestly, it just seems like Fairfax and other local library systems just can't be bothered. If they can get full pay for sitting home doing nothing, why try to go back to work? I bet their attitude would change if the county decided to lay off or furlough library staff in the coming months if we continue to be under stay at home orders. They'd figure out a system pretty quick.

I hate to sound so cynical. But the idea of them doing nothing while so many people in this area are unemployed and could use these materials for themselves or their kids just really offends me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t we at least pick up books on hold? This is so ridiculous. I don’t want to babe to buy new books all the time for my kids. Open up the libraries, please!

what is ridiculous is that you have not bought a kindle (or a nook, or the indie version) already and checked out books from the library that way. yes, high demand, but the waitlist / hold system works well in our experience. and you can get kindle unlimited which has lots of kids books.

We prefer paper books in our household. I don’t believe in reading on screens.

Do you also not believe in people getting sick? You sound obnoxious, to be honest.

NP here! The brain does not absorb material written in electronic books as easily as physical books. They’re an acceptable option for adults and older children. Not babies, toddlers/pre schoolers or elementary children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t we at least pick up books on hold? This is so ridiculous. I don’t want to babe to buy new books all the time for my kids. Open up the libraries, please!

what is ridiculous is that you have not bought a kindle (or a nook, or the indie version) already and checked out books from the library that way. yes, high demand, but the waitlist / hold system works well in our experience. and you can get kindle unlimited which has lots of kids books.

We prefer paper books in our household. I don’t believe in reading on screens.

Do you also not believe in people getting sick? You sound obnoxious, to be honest.

NP here! The brain does not absorb material written in electronic books as easily as physical books. They’re an acceptable option for adults and older children. Not babies, toddlers/pre schoolers or elementary children.

Source?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get the need for gloves. Unless you have cuts on your hands, how are gloves better than just washing or sanitizing your hands frequently?
I also don’t really get the issue with why returned books can’t be segregated for a week prior to re-shelving. If the book bin is full, then you can’t return at that time. They can at least take some books. Full closures are okay for a period but at some point they need to figure these things out...I don’t think the Counties are going to continue to just pay peoole for doing nothing every day. The FY budget rolls over 7/1 and they are going to start to furlough, I’d bet.

It’s not safe to for libraries to allow returns because airborne transmission of the virus has been well documented! Do you think viruses stay stuck to pages when you send that book down the chute? Everyone working there would risk infection.