A Guide to COVID-19 for Libraries

Be prepared at your library with these resources, guidance, and training to keep your staff and patrons informed and safe during the current COVID-19 pandemic health crisis.

Public Health Orders

• Wyoming Governor’s Orders/Directives
• Wyoming County Orders
• Guidelines for Opening Up America Again

Reopening Resource Lists

• ALA COVID-19 Recovery (American Library Association)
• Public Libraries Preparing to Reopen: Examples from the Field (WebJunction)
• Restoration of Library Services: Resources for Decision Makers (Colorado State Library)
• COVID-19 Pandemic Resources and Plans for Library Reopening (New Jersey State Library)
• Library Re-Opening Tip Kit (Alabama Public Library Service)
• Coronavirus & Public Libraries Resources (South Carolina State Library)
• Reopening Guidance (State Library of Oregon)

Safe Handling of Collections

• REALM Project
• Collections and Facilities: Caring for Your Resources During COVID-19 (REALM Recorded Webinar)
• Updated Advice on Handling Library Materials during COVID-19 Pandemic (State Library of Oregon)

Sample Reopening Plans

• Sample Staged Reopening Plan (New Mexico State Library)
• A Phased Reopening Plan for Libraries as COVID 19 Restrictions Are Lifted
• Utah State Library: Utah Libraries Plan for Moving Towards Full Service
• Colorado Library Consortium: Returning to Service – Libraries and COVID-19
• Idaho Library Commission: Webinar on Reopening Strategies
• Indiana Library Federation: Plan Outline in Phases from Library Closure to Reopening
• Individual library examples:
  • Example Library 1
  • Example Library 2
  • Example Library 3
  • Oak Park Public Library COVID-19 Library Building Reopening: Phased Plan
  • Midlothian Public Library Tentative Reopening Plan

All PDF plan documents downloaded April 24, 2020

WYLD Libraries

• WYLD Technical Support

Wyoming Links

• COVID-19 Information (State of Wyoming)
• Corona Virus 2019 (Wyoming Department of Health)
• Wyoming Transition Webinars (Wyoming Business Council)
• Census 2020 Updates (Wyoming State Library)
• “Mask Up” Posters for Your Library (Wyoming State Library)
• Wyoming State Library blog

Managing Your Library

• Are There Exceptions to Face-Mask Requirements? (American Libraries Magazine)
• Consider Employees’ Safety When Reopening the Workplace (ALA-APA Library Worklife)
• Coronavirus and the Workplace: Resources for Knowing Your Rights and Responsibilities during a Pandemic (U.S. GPO)
• Pandemic Preparedness from the American Library Association. Includes a list of topics to include in your pandemic response policy.
• COVID-19 Resources for Libraries and Museums (Institute of Museum and Library Services)
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates (Institute of Museum and Library Services)
• Planning for Libraries Communications during COVID-19 (Texas State Library and Archives Commission)
• Mitigating COVID-19 When Managing Paper-Based, Circulating, and Other Types of Collections (Institute of Museum and Library Services)
• Privacy During the COVID-19 Pandemic (American Library Association)
• Resources for Libraries on Coronavirus (EveryLibrary)
• Libraries and the Coronavirus: Evolving Information and Resources (WebJunction)
• United for Libraries Temporarily Opens Online Discussion Forums to Non-Members
• COVID-19 : Guide to Handling Materials (YALSA)
• Public Libraries Respond to COVID-19: Survey of Response & Activities (Public Library Association)

Schools & Youth Services

• Pandemic Resources for School Librarians (American Association of School Librarians)
• Virtual Storytime Services Guide (Association for Library Service to Children and the Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy)
• American Association of School Librarians Town Halls
• COVID-19 (“Coronavirus”) Information and Resources for Schools and School Personnel (U.S. Department of Education)
• A Roundup of Pandemic Resources for Librarians, Teachers and the Parents That We Serve (School Library Journal)
• A Mini Clearinghouse on Coronavirus, Created by Two School Librarians (School Library Journal)
• Pandemic Preparedness for School Libraries (Knowledge Quest)
• Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus (National Public Radio)
• How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus (PBS)
• Zoom Providing K-12 Schools Free Access to Videoconferencing Tools During COVID-19 (Open Culture)

Academic Libraries

• COVID-19 Resources for Higher Education and Academic Libraries (Ithaka S+R)
• Information for Libraries in the Wake of COVID-19 – Supporting Online Courses and Other Resources (Atla)

Training for Library Workers

Find upcoming webinars on the Wyoming State Library training calendar.

Information Resources

• Deciding to Go Out – recommendations from the CDC for visiting libraries and other locations safely.
• COVID-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) – federal legislative, presidential, and regulatory documents. (govinfo)
• Coronavirus Pandemic: Reliable Government Information Resources (GPO’s Government Book Talk)
• Coronavirus Resource Guide (Law Librarians of Congress)
• 2019 Novel Coronavirus Research guide (Texas A&M University Libraries)
• Tips for Avoiding Scams Related to COVID-19 (Colorado Virtual Library)
• Libraries Respond: Combating Xenophobia and Fake News in light of COVID-19 (American Library Association)
• Coronavirus Misinformation Tracking Center (NewsGuard)
• How can I spot misinformation about the coronavirus and COVID-19? (University of Toronto Libraries)