Yakima, WA – In light of the current, and rapidly evolving, coronavirus outbreak, Yakima Valley Libraries has established a Health & Safety Plan in order to address, mitigate, and respond to this and similar situations.
The Health & Safety Plan is made up of four response Phases, all of which are meant to serve as guidelines for how Yakima Valley Libraries will address potential or active public health and/or safety concerns.
At this time, Library administration have enacted Phase Two – Mitigation. As such, and effective immediately, the following steps will be implemented:
PROGRAMS
- All library programs and activities are cancelled through Saturday, March 28; this includes the annual Preschool Storytime Tour scheduled for March 21-27
SERVICES
- Book-a-Librarian, Archives appointments, and one-on-one reference services (i.e., services requiring close-contact and/or prolonged interaction between staff and patrons) are suspended through Saturday, March 28
PUBLIC COMPUTERS
- In adherence with recommendations from the Yakima Health District for social distancing, access to some public computer stations will be limited, in order to allow for at least 6ft of distance between individual patrons
SEATING & SOCIAL DISTANCING
- Public seating in all community libraries will be re-arranged, or temporarily removed, in order to create at least 4 feet (preferably 6 feet) of distance between patrons
SANITIZATION & STORAGE
- Community library staff will immediately remove, sanitize, and store high-touch items, including but not limited to:
- Games, puzzles, and toys
- Public-use headphones
- Craft supplies and craft utensils (i.e., markers, scissors, crayon bins, etc)
- Community library staff will regularly sanitize high-touch areas and surfaces, such as touchscreens, door knobs, telephones, keyboards, counters
Library administration will continue to closely monitor updates and information released by federal, state, and local health departments, as well as government officials, in order to make future determinations about library services and programs.
Additional information will be shared as it becomes available, and as the situation evolves.
For more information, including the complete Health & Safety Plan, visit: www.yvl.org/healthandsafety
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