Bell Memorial Public Library Director Stephen Boggs talked with the library board, including Secretary Sandi Schaeffer, via Zoom for its meeting, Monday, April 6. InkFreeNews photo by Kory Betts.

MENTONE — The Bell Memorial Public Library Board approved the library to continue paying its full-time employees at its meeting, April 6.

Conducted mostly through Zoom, the board passed an update to its emergency operations policy that allows staff to work from home and continue to be paid during the closure. The update was approved until May 4. At that point, it will be reassessed.

The Bell Memorial Public Library closed nearly a month ago, shortly after the COVID-19 health crisis was declared a pandemic. The libraries are considered non-essential services under Gov. Eric Holcomb’s stay at home order and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

In other matters, Library Director Stephen Boggs provided the board with several updates.

• Due to the closure, the library has experienced a slight uptick in usage of its digital library services, Hoopla and Axis 360.
• Boggs proposed modifying library operations once the building is able to reopen to the public. One suggestion was having staff on rotating schedules to prevent exposure and curbside pickup of library materials for patrons. The board decided to table the topic until next month’s meeting.