Because its mission is to serve the public, Large City Library keeps to its regular hours whenever possible during winter weather. However, on days when winter storms have made roads treacherous, the library may need to close for the safety of its patrons and staff.
The library director is responsible for the decision to close the library for the day or to close early. She will take into account current road conditions, current weather conditions, and National Weather Service forecasts as well as snow-emergency declarations made by the Large City Police Department. When the library director is unavailable, the assistant director has the authority to close the library when conditions warrant it.
Procedures to follow on "snow days"
If the library will not open as scheduled, the following steps must be taken as soon as possible:
-Notify the city manager.
-Call the first person on the library phone tree. All staff will be notified of library closings through the phone tree. Each staff member should keep an up-to-date copy of the phone tree at home.
-Contact designated media outlets to inform them of the closing: radio station WLCR (phone number 555-555-1234) and TV news station LCTV (phone number 555-555-4321).
-Change the message on the library's main phone line. The new message should include the date, the reason the library is closed, and a reminder that fines on overdue materials will not accrue while the library is closed.
-Post a highly-visible message about the closing on the main page of the library's website. The message should include the date, the reason the library is closed, and a reminder that fines on overdue materials will not accrue while the library is closed.
-Reprogram the library's thermostat to stay at 58 degrees for the duration of the closure. The thermostat can be reprogrammed over the phone by calling 555-555-9999; the code is 9999.
Procedures to follow on days when the library is closing early
If the library is closing earlier than normal, the following steps must be taken IN ADDITION TO the "snow day" procedures listed above.
-Notify all patrons in the library of the closing. Staff should offer patrons the use of the library's telephone if they need to arrange for transportation.
-Check the outside stairs and walkways to make sure they are safe to walk on. Salt and snow shovels can be found in the janitorial closet on the first floor. Do not risk your own health! If you do not think you can use a snow shovel safely, don't try - just put salt down.
-Double check to make sure that unaccompanied minors and other patrons with special needs have a way to get home. While we don't want to delay staff members from getting home safely, neither do we want to abandon patrons outside in the middle of a snowstorm. Use your best judgment. If necessary, call the police rather than leave a minor alone.
-For liability reasons, staff should not offer rides to patrons.
-In addition to the normal closing procedures, staff should reprogram the thermostat to go into "night" mode early and check to confirm that the heating tapes for the roof are plugged in and working. If the heating tapes are plugged in but do not seem to be working, notify the library director.
If the library loses power during a winter storm
-Notify Large City Electric (555-555-9876) immediately.
-Use the flashlights stored at the various circulation and reference desks to locate patrons and usher them safely into the main reference room.
-Notify the library director. She will inform the city manager.
-Follow the early-closing procedures listed above.
-If outside temperatures are extremely low, and if the power remains off for more than a few hours, there is a risk that the water pipes could freeze. The library director may need to contact the city manager again to arrange for the Department of Public Works to set up a propane heater in the basement.
Opening the library after a storm
-Change the message on the library's main phone line back to the regular announcement of library hours, etc.
-The first staff member to arrive at the library should perform a visual inspection of the parking lot, sidewalk, and steps. All these areas should be clear of snow, and any icy patches should have salt on them. Notify the library director immediately if they have not been cleared. If only small areas look unsafe, salt and snow shovels can be found in the janitorial closet on the first floor. Do not risk your own health! If you do not think you can use a snow shovel safely, don't try - stick to putting salt down.
-Check over library entrances - particularly the side entrance - for icicles. If there are icicles that you believe you can remove safely - for instance, by reaching up with a broom - then do so. Do not climb up on anything to reach icicles. Do not stand directly under the icicles while clearing them. If you cannot safely remove the icicles, block off the affected entrance with caution tape from the janitorial closet.
-Work with the custodial staff to inspect the inside of the library. Make sure that the furnace is working and that the thermostat has been turned up. If temperatures have been very low, briefly run the faucets and flush the toilets to make sure water has not frozen in the pipes.
-Remind staff members at circulation that fines did not accrue while the library was closed. Patrons may need to be reassured of this fact. Fines should be manually removed or reduced by the appropriate amount when checking in books.
Frozen pipes
-If water is still tricking through the pipes, work with the custodial staff to apply heating tapes from the janitorial closet to the affected pipes. Block off any affected toilets with caution tape.
-If no water is coming through the pipes, notify the library director immediately while the custodial staff applies heating tapes. The library cannot open if it does not have running water. Staff will have to follow the "snow day" procedures listed above while the library director contacts the city manager and the Department of Public Works.
Ice dams
The library has not had trouble with ice dams forming on the roof since it began to use heating tapes in problem areas. Still, ice dams can form after heavy or repeated snowfalls. The danger is especially high if the electricity goes out for an extended period or if the heating tapes have failed for some other reason.
-A designated staff member should check the heating tapes and perform visual inspections of the roof immediately after a heavy snowfalls and at three-day intervals thereafter for as long as the roof is heavily covered. The binoculars for these inspections are kept in the supply closet on the second floor.
-The library director should be notified at the first sign that ice dams have formed. She will have to work with the city manager and Department of Public Works to clear the affected areas of the roof.
Wet spots on the ceiling or walls
Ice dams can cause melting snow from the roof to leak into the library. If wet areas appear on the ceiling or walls, staff will take the following steps:
-Alert other staff members and the library director. Depending on the size of the wet areas, all staff members (apart from a skeleton staff at the circulation desks) may be needed to help with recovery.
-Move patrons away from the affected areas.
-Move whatever you can out from underneath wet spots on the ceiling. Cover what can't be moved with plastic sheeting from the supply closet. If possible, place a bucket or trash can to catch any leaking water.
-Set up "wet floor" signs by the affected areas.
-If the wet areas are on a wall with bookshelves against it, remove all books shelved underneath the wet area and for three feet on either side. Check books for dampness as you remove them. Place dry books on book carts; separate out any damp or wet books.
-Set damp books on radiators to dry.
-For insurance purposes, take pictures of any wet spots and any water-damaged property. There are digital cameras in the offices of the library director, the children's librarian, and the youth services librarian.
-After everything has dried, reassess water-damaged books and other library property. Make a list of any items that are no longer usable, including the value of each item. Remove these items from the catalog.
-The library director will notify the city manager of the problem and work with him/her to arrange for repairs and to file any insurance claims.
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