Things are certainly getting more positive for the United States with the COVID global pandemic – but we are not done with it yet! We encourage everyone to do what you can to stay safe, and to stay healthy. Wash hands, wear your masks if you are not feeling well, and get vaccinated!
And of course: keep listening to scientific experts to be sure you are making the best decisions. We all know that using good information literacy skills means DEFINITELY NOT listening to “Some Random Dude On The Internet.” That applies whether you know the Random Dude or not. We, for example are not medical professionals. So we refer you to good, reputable experts. Go to the CDC. Go to the Mayo Clinic. Go to Harvard Medical School. Be diligent about avoiding people who may have some other weird, unhelpful, or self-interested agenda in sharing bad advice.
One good, reputable expert in working through the best COVID procedures in libraries is the OCLC/IMLS project called REALM (REopening Archives, Libraries, and Museums). We have referenced their work frequently, and encourage you subscribe to their newsletters and social media for yourself.
This is some of their latest information to use, and to share with your library stakeholders and community:
July REALM research update and
perspectives from the field
Vaccines, variants and ventilation research briefing
An updated briefing, prepared by Battelle, looks at research available on vaccines, variants, and ventilation. This research focused on three key questions:
- What implications does SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in the United States have for public health interventions and policies, especially related to indoor environments?
- What differences have been found for SARS-CoV-2 variants (compared to the original strain) in the United States in terms of spread, transmissibility, surface attenuation, and effectiveness of public health interventions?
- What effects do ventilation and ventilation-based interventions (e.g., heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems [HVAC]) have on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor environments?
One year later: Perspectives from the field.
In this short video, Kalamazoo Institute of Art’s executive director, Belinda Tate shares how her staff came together as a team to adapt programs and exhibits online in response to the pandemic’s impact on her institution and community.
New members added to REALM Steering Committee
The REALM project Steering Committee is pleased to welcome three new members to help inform project activities:
- Kate Laughlin, Association for Rural & Small Libraries
- Martha Meacham, National Library of Medicine
- Kelvin Watson, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District