All areas of Quebec libraries have the authority to reopen

Double surprise for Quebec libraries. Prime Minister Franకోois Legalt They surprised them last Wednesday by publicly announcing that they would reopen private offices only for educational reasons from Monday, January 11th. The great and joyous chaos in the struggle in libraries to respond so quickly to this permission came immediately. However, the official decree gives more latitude: libraries can be reopened at a later time. He is allowed to go to the shelves, leaf through books, choose documents or work on the computer.

“In fact, the decree was more comprehensive than originally intended,” it was confirmed Destiny Robert Maranda, Ministry of Health Media Relations. “Libraries are open to everyone. Sp Open all spaces, all? Not just for students? “At the moment, the information I have is that ‘all spaces are open to everyone’, but respect the mandatory health measures,” Mr Maranda said. The Association of Public Libraries of Quebec (ABPQ) was “very surprised” by the extension of the good news on Sunday afternoon. “Last week, we expected the announcement of the end of the contactless book loan,” said General Manager ve Lagacé. “We are pleased that libraries are needed, but we need to take the time to understand how to use the decree. ABPQ believes that its members can establish a safe way to access the library, but this requires a great and rapid reorganization.”^{To me} Like.

“Libraries are not required to provide this service. They can also provide it according to their own terms. Some may decide to pursue a contactless loan only, for example.

As of this week libraries are against the time to open offices for students. At Grande Bibliothec in Montreal, 75 workplaces, at 3 p.m.^E Available Tuesday, on the floor and terrace. We worked very hard on it. “All the furniture is stacked in one corner,” explained Lucy Tremble, director of communications and programming at Bibliothec et Archives natives du Quebec. “You have to count spaces, count distances, block each other computer, repeat signals to honor two meters”. Om^My Lagake and Tremble also noted the burden of changing the opening and working hours required by the curfew.

Reducing digital segmentation

The cities of Montreal and Quebec refused Destiny Opportunity to speak directly with representatives of the respective library networks. On anonymity, an employee of the Montreal Network reported on the manufacturing environment on Earth.

“We’re backed down. We’re happy to reopen, but the announcement came without warning and with a few tags. We need to adapt very quickly to receive it in a safe and healthy manner.

Suppliers first propose complex disinfection methods that direct the employee, warning that they will damage the equipment and that they are not responsible. Same difficulties for screens, some of them tactile. Reorganizing the schedule is also a headache on the Montreal Library Network.

“It is true that a section of the population is facing digital segregation, and at the moment it is living more severely,” said the ABPQ director. We will never forget them. They are part of our regular users, and this reopen is in response to one of our requests made in the context of a completely different pandemic in October. We can understand that the government can pay a lot of attention to it. “

Can we go further in service to customers? “We want to lend to WiFi in the library by providing take-home terminals, but all potential partners have declined our invitations to provide this service, which makes such a big difference” Sorry Montreal Library employee. Especially in the present case.

Universal Openness, libraries learned during the day on Sunday, forcing them to reconsider certain actions due to the epidemic. కొన్నిసార్లుve Lagacé explains that “sometimes you have to tear down the ones you have installed for a contactless loan – Plexiglas, panels that often block access”. I am of the opinion that libraries that go ahead in welcoming customers will not be ready for two weeks. There was a lot of pressure to escape. But it’s very good: Contactless lending works a lot for teams, and long before customers have their documents. We improve the quality of our services and it gives us happiness. “

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Libraries that go ahead in welcoming customers will not be ready for two weeks