This afternoon, Dr. Diana Davidson, Director of Public Library Services Branch, sent a message to announce that all of our libraries must be closed to the public, effective immediately. Laura Taylor, Deputy CEO, sent her full message on e-consult. This was the key phrase:
At 3:30pm, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw has prohibited Albertans from visiting libraries in-person under the declared public health state of emergency.
In an effort to do our part to reduce the spread within the broader community, Marigold is taking the following steps:
- Effective today (Tuesday, March 17), van delivery is suspended until further notice
- Marigold staff will be working from home
- Meetings and training sessions have been suspended until further notice
- Interlibrary loan requesting and lending has been suspended for now
- Filling holds and filling the book lockers at Hussar has been suspended until further notice
- Shipment of new collection materials has been suspended for now
- Shipping kits, games, travelling book collections and mobile labs to libraries has been suspended until further notice
- Sourcing and providing supplies or IT equipment through Marigold’s Purchasing Program have been suspended for now
- IT on-site visits to do repairs or installations has been suspended until further notice
We are doing what we can to support you during this crisis, including:
- Forwarding phone calls to the best-placed Marigold staff member for assistance. Please continue to contact us by email or by phone at (403) 934-5334 or 1-855-934-5334 (toll-free)
- Assisting with website messaging about library closures and changes in service
- Providing IT support to library staff through the helpdesk. The IT ticketing process is still in place.
- Consultations through phone calls or email
- Providing library memberships (i.e., registering library cards) or renewing library memberships by calling Marigold headquarters if library staff are unable to do this, This is helpful if someone wishes to use Marigold’s eResources online.
I expect that there may be questions arising from this email and from the unfolding situation in which we find ourselves. I would be pleased to do my best to address any questions or concerns that you may have. You can reply to this email, or call/text on my phone numbers (below).
Wishing you and your communities the best health outcomes as we navigate this unprecedented public health crisis.
Michelle Toombs, CEO, Marigold Library System
Phone: (403) 934-5334 ext 224
Phone: (403) 404-0010 (cell)
Email: michelle@marigold.ab.ca
