From left, are WCPL Assistant Library Director Joni Brookins and WCPL Library Board Treasurer Ben Rice. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Shepherd.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The Warsaw Community Public Library Board of Trustees approved the library’s five-year strategic plan, as well as multiple new employee policies, during a meeting on Monday, Nov. 9.

Library staff worked with Lissa Krull, library strategist with the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services, on a 2021-2025 strategic plan.

The three priorities in WCPL’s plan are reimagining the library’s physical space by enhancing in-person experiences through transforming traditional library spaces; expanding the library’s virtual presence by creating a seamless, full-service virtual library experience; and cultivating community engagement by developing deeper connections and enhancing collaboration within the community.

“Access and getting rid of barriers is in all three of them,” said WCPL Library Director Ann Zydek about the strategic plan’s priorities.

WCPL’s Board of Trustees also approved several new policies regarding employees, including how to handle emergency closings and delayed openings; providing lactation support in the workplace; completing remote work at home; keeping the library’s campus tobacco-free and not engaging in workplace violence.

Part of the library’s new emergency closing policy focuses on how to address a public health emergency such as a pandemic. The policy states the library may temporarily close or limit its services if any of the following occur:

• an order or mandate for closure is issued by government officials;
• a library employee is diagnosed with an illness related to a health emergency (with reopening occurring after a review of best practices and consultation with the local health department); or
• the library’s board deems it in the best interest of both patrons and employees to close in order to reduce the spread of the contagion.

The policy also states that during an initial closure, the library will continue to pay employees for normally scheduled hours of work up to 10 weeks. After that point in time, the continuance of pay would be determined by the library’s board.

With short-term weather-related delays or cancellations, if employees are scheduled to work, they may be called in even if the library is closed in order to help prepare the facility for opening the following day.

“I think a lot of us found that our emergency health policies were not good enough,” said WCPL Board President Chris Merrill about the library’s policy on public health emergencies. “This is a great move in the right direction.”

Zydek also noted she believes more people have begun understanding the need to wear masks while patronizing the library following concerns at the board’s October meeting on mask-wearing. More signage asking patrons to wear masks and additional sanitation stations have been placed throughout the library.

“I see people in the parking lot that are now getting their masks out before they get to the door,” said Zydek. “I think the message has gotten out.”

The board also approved the library’s annual Internet acceptable use policy and held a public hearing on the policy prior to the board’s regular session. Two minor changes were made to the policy, focusing on employees not using library resources to send inappropriate content and not having right of privacy to any material stored on library property.

The board’s next meeting is at 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 14.