<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
        {font-family:"Cambria Math";
        panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
        {font-family:Calibri;
        panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
        {font-family:"Century Gothic";
        panose-1:2 11 5 2 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
        {margin:0in;
        font-size:11.0pt;
        font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
        {mso-style-priority:99;
        color:#0563C1;
        text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
        {mso-style-priority:34;
        margin-top:0in;
        margin-right:0in;
        margin-bottom:0in;
        margin-left:.5in;
        font-size:11.0pt;
        font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle19
        {mso-style-type:personal-compose;
        font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
        color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
        {mso-style-type:export-only;
        font-size:10.0pt;
        font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
        {size:8.5in 11.0in;
        margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
        {page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
        {mso-list-id:1017074245;
        mso-list-type:hybrid;
        mso-list-template-ids:642950336 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l0:level1
        {mso-level-tab-stop:none;
        mso-level-number-position:left;
        text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level2
        {mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
        mso-level-tab-stop:none;
        mso-level-number-position:left;
        text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level3
        {mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
        mso-level-tab-stop:none;
        mso-level-number-position:right;
        text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level4
        {mso-level-tab-stop:none;
        mso-level-number-position:left;
        text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level5
        {mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
        mso-level-tab-stop:none;
        mso-level-number-position:left;
        text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level6
        {mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
        mso-level-tab-stop:none;
        mso-level-number-position:right;
        text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level7
        {mso-level-tab-stop:none;
        mso-level-number-position:left;
        text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level8
        {mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
        mso-level-tab-stop:none;
        mso-level-number-position:left;
        text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level9
        {mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
        mso-level-tab-stop:none;
        mso-level-number-position:right;
        text-indent:-9.0pt;}
ol
        {margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
        {margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal">Library directors,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Several of you have asked whether quarantining of library materials is still necessary in light of
<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/science-and-research/surface-transmission.html">
recent information</a> released by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). This information suggests that surface transmission of the COVID-19 virus is even less likely than previously thought. We reached out to Deputy State Epidemiologist Dr. Ali
 Hamade to find out their thoughts on quarantining practices. I’ve copied the full-text of their response below (emphasis added).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><b><i>OHA finds that no quarantine of library materials is necessary.</i></b> Surface transmission is not a significant mode of COVID-19 transmission in the case of library materials due to the very low chance that
 there will be enough viable viruses on the materials from the previous user, if at all. This is in addition to the natural lag, in most cases, between return and release of materials that would further reduce the risk of transmission.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">However, library staff should <o:p>
</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">1.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">      
</span></span><![endif]>avoid touching their faces with unwashed hands after handling returned materials,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">      
</span></span><![endif]>wear a face mask at work,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">3.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">      
</span></span><![endif]>exercise physical distancing according to library guidelines, and<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">4.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">      
</span></span><![endif]>clean or quarantine an item that has obvious signs of contamination.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We wanted to get you this information quickly so that you can consider making operational changes. We plan to integrate this new recommendation into our
<a href="https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/ld.php?content_id=59410902">official advice for the library sector</a> and the
<a href="https://www.oregon.gov/ode/students-and-family/healthsafety/Documents/Library%20Additional%20Considerations.pdf">
library section</a> of the <i>Ready Schools, Safe Learners</i> guidance for the K-12 sector. However, we are awaiting more information that may affect other areas of the guidance, such as youth programming. The updated guidance will come out as soon as we have
 that updated information.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Also of interest, the CDC updated their <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html">
recommendations on cleaning and disinfecting</a>. In particular the CDC notes:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">“When no people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 are known to have been in a space, cleaning once a day is usually enough to sufficiently remove virus that may be on surfaces and help maintain a healthy facility.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There are more helpful details on cleaning in the recommendations linked above.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I hope that this information and updated guidance from OHA helps you simplify some of your pandemic procedures and practices! As always, more information is available on our
<a href="https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/coronavirus/">COVID-19 guide for libraries</a>. Please let me know if I can answer any questions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Stay safe, stay healthy,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:black">Buzzy Nielsen, MPP, MSI (he/him/his)
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%">Program Manager, Library Support & Development Services<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%">State Library of Oregon<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%">bnielsen@slo.oregon.gov | 971-375-3486<br>
<a href="https://www.oregon.gov/library/libraries"><span style="color:#0563C1">www.oregon.gov/library/libraries</span></a><u><span style="color:#0563C1"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Follow us: <a href="http://fb.me/StateLibraryOR"><span style="color:#0563C1">Facebook</span></a> |
<a href="https://twitter.com/StateLibraryOR"><span style="color:#0563C1">Twitter</span></a><b>
</b>| <a href="https://www.instagram.com/statelibraryor/"><span style="color:#0563C1">Instagram</span></a><b>
</b>|<b> </b><a href="https://pinterest.com/statelibraryor/"><span style="color:#0563C1">Pinterest</span></a><u><span style="color:#0563C1"> |
</span></u><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0-kU8Gu0jS_YcnXg-b_TRA/featured"><span style="color:#0563C1">YouTube</span></a><u><span style="color:#0563C1"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" width="458" height="61" style="width:4.7708in;height:.6354in" id="Picture_x0020_27" src="cid:image001.png@01D73147.392257B0"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>