Bartlett Public Library District Takes Precautions Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

The Bartlett Public Library District remains open to the public and has taken various response measures to preventing COVID-19. As of today, March 12, 2020, the library has enacted the following changes through March 31:

• A Pandemic Response Policy & Procedure is being worked on, which will be presented to the Board of Trustees at the March 16, 2020 Board Meeting.

• Programs taking place between March 12-31 are cancelled. Staff members will try rebooking programs for later dates if possible. Patrons signed up for programs requiring registration are being notified. Programming is scheduled to resume April 1, 2020, however the public will be notified if that date changes.

• Safety gloves are made available to staff members for use while handling materials.

• Only one person may use the Study Rooms and Conference Rooms at a time.

• There will be no usage of the Meeting Room for outside groups, aside from the election held on March 17, 2020.

• The Casual Computing Area and Computer Lab will have computers available at every other station.

• There will be no access to the Art Room nor the Teen Space.

• Toys in the Youth & Teen Services Department will be put away.

• Signs have been placed throughout the building encouraging best health practices such as washing hands thoroughly, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue, the importance of cleaning and disinfecting objects and surfaces, avoiding touching the face and avoiding contact with people who are sick.

• Staff members have increased their surface cleanings to multiple times a day, especially with door handles and railings. They're also wiping down counters, work stations and computer stations.

Once again, these changes go into effect through March 31, but the Bartlett Public Library District will keep the public notified of any changes via press releases, signage, social media postings or the website.

The changes have been put into place to practice social distancing (reducing contact from person to person or among groups), which is a method that has been recommended by a variety of health experts on trying to control the spread of COVID-19.

The public has been advised by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stay home if sick. The Bartlett Public Library District serves a community of all age groups, so it is also advisable for those who are sick to stay out of the library in order to not spread illnesses to other visitors. If patrons are unable to return items due to illness, they may call the Circulation Desk at 630.837.2958 to hear about accommodations.

The Bartlett Public Library District will also be attending an upcoming meeting with nearby municipalities, villages and townships to discuss what each organization has in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In the event that COVID-19 is present in the Bartlett Public Library District, Library Director Karolyn Nance will contact the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) and the CDC. Actions will be taken from there and the public will be notified.

It is also important to keep in mind that patrons don't have to leave their homes in order to take advantage of library offerings. There are plenty of downloadable and streaming services that allow patrons to watch TV, listen to music, read eBooks, listen to eAudiobooks and more. These services include Libby, Freegal Music, Flipster, Tumblebooks, etc. Check the Bartlett Public Library District's website for a full list of resources.

The election on March 17, 2020 and the Board Meeting on March 16, 2020 will still be held. The election will be in the Meeting Room; the Board Meeting will be in the Staff Conference Room.

If there are any questions for the library, call 630.837.2855 or visit www.bartlettlibrary.org.

For more information on COVID-19, these resources are available:

DuPage County Health Department: https://www.dupagehealth.org

Cook County Health Department: https://www.cookcountypublichealth.org

Illinois Department of Public Health: http://www.dph.illinois.gov

Center for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov

World Health Organization: https://www.who.int