**Important information regarding COVID-19**

Proposed re-opening of the Community Library

Risk Assessment The main risks are the passing on of the COVID-19 infection to others.

Control Measures No one should come to the library if they are feeling unwell, have a temperature or fall into a category where they have been asked to ‘Shield’. Enhanced sanitisation, social distancing and wearing of PPE will become a norm.

Parish Council’s COVID-19 risk assessment of Sidings and Parish Centre facilities (pre-5 November lockdown)

With the agreement of Crofton Parish Council it is intended to have a phased opening of Crofton Community library within the government guidelines. It is absolutely important that these guidelines and rules are followed to the letter, flouting of these rules will result in the library being closed to the public until the current pandemic is declared over.

Each opening day the library will be supervised by two volunteers. No more than two library members/units will be allowed inside at one time thus ideally a maximum of 4 persons inside at any one time. It is important the government social distancing at 2.00 (6’6”) be maintained at all times. Both Volunteers and library members must wear a face covering at all times whilst inside the building. This face covering may consist of either a surgical mask, face shield, scalf or other suitable coverings to cover the nose and mouth.

All persons are requested not to touch or handle books or shelves unless it is absolutely necessary and/or a particular book is to be loaned. Ideally should anyone wish to gain information about a particular book then members should be encouraged to use their mobile phones, if they have one, to ‘Google’ the information. Shelves and door handles should be wiped down using anti-bacterial wipes as often as practicable.

• To start the library will only open Mondays and Fridays so as to give as much dwell time as possible for returned and handled books. Mondays 2pm to 6pm and Fridays 9am to 11am and 1pm to 5pm.
• The building should be well ventilated at all times whilst occupied by opening both doors and/or windows to give a change of air. The doors (where possible) should remain open so that visitors do not have to touch the door handles, however it would be good practice to wipe down door handles upon each person’s entry and exit. The gate to the perimeter wall should always be kept open to minimise handling.
• Hand wash and anti-viral hand gel facilities will be made available for volunteers and members entering and leaving the building.
• It is recommended that face visors should be worn by all volunteers whilst working in the library.
• No drinks or food will be allowed to be given to visitors. Volunteers should bring their own food and drinks and take away used cups/ glasses and rubbish.
• The toilets will only be available for use by volunteers. The toilet should be wiped down and sanitised after each use.
• Both volunteers and visitors must maintain safe social distancing of 2.00m (6’).
• Due to the size and layout of the library a one way system is not appropriate, but there will be signs asking people to maintain social distancing (2.00m or 1 x length of a book shelf).
• Again due to the size and layout of the library a maximum of two units of people will only be allowed in the library at any one time. A unit will comprise of a single person, a couple or a family unit. If more than one person each unit will have to stay together.
• Chairs (Plastic) may be placed outside the front door and undercover, suitably distanced at 2.00m, to accommodate visitors who will be invited to sit until they are called to enter the building.
• Consideration should be given to persons waiting to enter the library therefore browsing of books should be kept to a minimum at busy periods.
• People returning books will be asked to return them in marked bag/ or a box or enclosed covering with their name inserted.
• All returned books and books people have looked at but not taken out placed in a box labelled for such use. Such books will then not be touched until the next opening date when they can then be signed off as returned and put back on the shelves. Persons replacing a book to a shelf must first sanitise their hands and wear surgical gloves. Once complete used gloves must be taken home and be disposed of.
• For people borrowing books they will be asked to give the title and author of the book to the volunteers so that they can be entered onto their membership card. The books will not be date stamped but members will be told of the required return date.
• Prior to closing the volunteers will be asked to wipe surfaces down with wipes provided and all windows and doors shut and locked. The building must remain closed until the next date of opening.
• The Fan Wall Heaters Must not be used to heat the building.
• Volunteer librarians should work as separate groups ie Monday volunteers do not work with anyone from the Friday group and vice versa so that if one person from one day becomes affected only that days group self isolates leaving the other group to continue.
• Volunteers must embrace the ‘Track and Trace’ system. All visitors names and a contact number be taken upon entry.
• It is essential that the above rules are complied with to ensure that the library does not have to be closed. The above requirements will also be kept under review taking into account National, Local and Parish Council requirements.

18^th August 2020

Crofton Library Group, 18th August 2020

Please also refer to the following slides which provide more detail around the Parish Council’s COVID-19 risk assessment and further detail surrounding the practical arrangements of re-opening Crofton Community Library (it is advisable to make the video full screen to read areas with smaller text, which you can do by clicking on the icon in the bottom right-hand corner):

Alternatively, if you would like to view these slides in PDF format please click on the following PDF document: Crofton Community Library reopening slides