Submitted by Genie Dethloff.
Testing Confirms – Quarantining Library Materials Works
Good news from the Connecticut State Library – the REALM (Reopening Archives, Libraries and Museums) Project has released the results of the first round of Battelle’s laboratory testing for COVID-19 on commonly circulated library materials:
“The five materials tested in this round included a hardback book cover (buckram cloth), paperback book cover, plain paper pages inside a book, plastic protective book covering, and a DVD case. Results show that the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) was not detectable on the materials after three days of quarantine. The evaluation demonstrates that standard office temperature and relative humidity conditions typically achievable by any air-conditioned office space provide an environment that allows for the natural attenuation of SARS-CoV-2 present on these common materials after three days of quarantine.”
Killingworth Library has been quarantining for 4 days (and will continue to do so) – we hope our patrons finds this news reassuring. The REALM project report can be accessed at:
https://www.webjunction.org/news/webjunction/test1-results.html.
When Will the Killingworth Library Building Reopen to the Public?
As of July 1, 2020, our tentative reopening date for the building is August 1, 2020.
The decision on when to open our library building will be based on our ability to meet the detailed guidelines for libraries determined by the State of Connecticut, the characteristics of our building, our staffing levels, and whether or not the virus begins a resurgence within our state. The recent trend for our nation overall is extremely worrisome in this regard, and the spread of the virus is being closely monitored. The limited availability of protective resources (sanitizer, gloves, etc.) also continues to be a significant concern.
The many questions we’ve received about when the Library building will re-open are certainly heartwarming, and we’re glad to be providing a service that the residents of Killingworth would like to see resume, however the safety of our patrons, volunteers, and staff remains our highest priority during these tumultuous times.
In the meantime, we invite our patrons to continue using our curbside service as well as the electronic resources found on our library website: www.killingworthlibrary.org.
