Scenic Regional temporarily reduces service hours due to staffing shortages

Posted 11/25/20

Due to ongoing staffing shortages related to illnesses, COVID-19, and quarantines, all Scenic Regional Library branches will have new, reduced service hours beginning Monday, Nov 30.

The new hours …

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Scenic Regional temporarily reduces service hours due to staffing shortages

Posted

Due to ongoing staffing shortages related to illnesses, COVID-19, and quarantines, all Scenic Regional Library branches will have new, reduced service hours beginning Monday, Nov 30.

The new hours at all locations will be:

• Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Tuesdays and Thursdays: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The changes will temporarily reduce the library’s services hours from between 57 and 61 hours a week at each location to 45 hours, according to Steven W. Campbell, director of the multi-county library system with branches in Owensville and Hermann. The library trimmed hours which historically have been their lower-traffic times.

Campbell said the library hopes that the reduction of service hours will help reduce the number of times that branches will need to be completely shut down in the coming months due to staffing shortages from illness and quarantines.

The new service hours will not alter the library’s protocol when an employee at a branch tests positive for COVID-19. When a library employee tests positive for coronavirus, the branch is closed temporarily and other staff at the location are asked to quarantine. The closures also guarantee that enough time has passed for the virus, which can remain alive on surfaces for several days, to die.

The library has had six employees test positive for COVID-19 and have had dozens of other employees quarantined due to exposure either at work or outside of work.

The new service hours will not result in any library staff having their hours reduced or being laid off. The change will allow the library to cover fewer service hours with the same amount of staff, which will provide a buffer against staff call-ins due to illness and quarantines.

The Library Board will revisit these new service hours at their regular meetings each month, beginning in January 2021, according to Campbell.