I work at a public library that is gradually reopening to the public. We employ quite a few librarians who trend older and have underlying health conditions. Many of these staff have been working remotely for the past few months, but not necessarily on tasks essential to their positions.
This is a heart-breaking question, and I am sure it has been a hard process to get to this phase in your operations and planning.
In regards to COVID-19 when libraries do reopen, (and allow people in) is it advisable to ask customers to leave the public building if they are exhibiting any visible COVID symptoms? If so, are there benchmarks for how extreme symptoms should be or how policies should be worded?
As the member writes, it is very difficult to determine if some physical factors—coughing, a flush, seeming malaise—are in fact symptoms of COVID-19. Confronting a patron with suspected symptoms can also lead to concerns impacting community relations, privacy, and the ADA.
[Submitted from a SUNY Library]
This is a deep array of questions, requiring a deep array of answers.
But let’s start with the basics.
There are 64 SUNY campuses, some with more than one library.
Is it permissible to make digital copies of choral music that is legally owned by the institution to students in choral and instrumental ensembles? Some students may be studying remotely and mailing physical copies may result in lost or non-returned copies.
There are four ways it can be permissible:
In the spring, it was clear academic libraries providing digital resources were in a state of emergency and fair use restrictions were loosened.
This fall, we are asked to plan for face to face learning, but we may be asked to turn on a dime and provide digital resources overnight if a student or faculty member in a course is unable to attend class.
Before I answer this question, I do have to emphasize: as I wrote here, fair use was not modified during the height of the initial pandemic closures. Further, there is no case law or regulatory guidance indicating things will be any different if we have to return to the level of lockdown experienced this Spring.
For the past two years, our library hosted a 24-hour read-aloud; where people camped on the front lawn and took turns reading 6-7 books. Due to COVID, we can't hold this event in person this year. Our thought it that we could do it virtually - and instead of reading an entire book, we would ask readers to read the first chapter from one of their favorite books.
Our library has taken the next step in re-opening and is welcoming the public back into our building. We have a Safety Plan, and we have posted signage in key areas to help the public follow our safety practices, including staying at least six feet apart whenever possible, and every visitor using hand sanitizer upon entry and (if over the age of two) wearing face coverings at all times.
I understand that the libraries need a disclaimer stating that the library is not responsible should a visitor or patron become ill with COVID-19. Is this true, and if so, do you have suggestions on wording for this disclaimer?
Thank you
I appreciate this question, because it gives me a chance to make an important clarification:
Given libraries are preparing plans to reopen, I am looking for a follow up to the 3/19/2020 question posted to Ask The Lawyer pertaining to being informed that an individual who has been confirmed to have COVID visited one of our libraries. (participated in a program).
The short answer
This answer is being written on May 28th, 2020.
At this time, in addition to Executive Order 202 issued on March 7, 2020 and declaring a state of emergency in New York through September 7th, 2020, there are 30 Executive Orders.
My Director has asked me to ask you the following question. In normal circumstances the library would host the meetings of local organizations that do not have a building of their own. The library hosts the meetings of organizations like "Concerned Citizens", "Race Unity Circle", the "Bahá'í society", etc.
Life is full of surprises. When I was in third grade, I was surprised to learn that this strange country called “Canada” occupied the upper half of North America. When I was in fifteen, I was surprised to learn that “brooch” rhymes with “roach.”[1] And upon researching the answer to this question, I was surprised to learn that Zoom
