Option 1: Very limited staff in the library. Primarily online with distance support.
This option assumes the library would remain closed to LMU students, faculty, and staff, and access to campus is fairly limited.
- Building Hours: Not open
- For Checkouts: Checkouts available external to the library (Starting Fall 2020: Distribution Center pick up and mail delivery)
- Access to Library Spaces: None
- Access to Library Materials: All access would be provided though digital means where possible, including scanned materials, interlibrary loan, and course reserves. Users would be strongly encouraged to utilize electronic resources.
- Access to Research Support and Instruction: All reference consultations, research support, and information literacy instruction would be mediated through digital modes, including Zoom, virtual chat, email, and phone.
It is worth noting that even if the building is closed to the public and the LMU campus community, the following tasks still require on-site access to the building by library staff so that we can provide essential services to LMU students, faculty, and staff.
- Document delivery and interlibrary loan scanning for individual needs through ILLiad
- Reserves scanning for faculty to post materials in Brightspace courses
- Digitizing media (where possible) to post in Brightspace for courses
- Mailing books requested from library catalog to patrons
- Mail retrieval from the Distribution Center, including book purchases
- Processing books that have been ordered
- Cataloging ordered books so they can circulate to patrons
- Processing invoices and payments (some vendors still only utilize paper invoicing)
- Library return bin retrievals and check-in after 72 hour quarantine
- Processing and managing quarantined materials
- Shelving returned and recently ordered books
- Processing Archives and Special Collections recently donated collections
- Digitizing Archives and Special Collections requests for researchers or classes
- Maintenance of library technology and settings to keep remote database access and other library services functioning properly
If the building is closed to the public and the LMU campus community, the following essential services can still be provided to LMU students, faculty, and staff without on-site access to the library:
- Research support via online chat, staffed approximately 8 hours per weekday
- Research support via virtual appointments in Zoom
- Library instruction (synchronous or asynchronous options)
- Virtual programming (orientations, events, etc.)
- Coordination with and ordering from library database and e-book vendors
- Coordination with faculty regarding course materials, library instruction, and other needs
- Email and phone support for most public service functions
Option 2: Limited staff in the library. More in-person study space for local students.
This option would be possible if county and university guidelines allow the library to operate in a limited capacity interacting with LMU users. This option requires access to campus being granted for off-campus students to study in the library.
In addition to the above section services, this option would require:
- Building Hours: Limited library hours for study space reservations only, with masks required for all users.
- For checkouts:
- Book pickups will remain at the Distribution Center. Equipment and cables will not be available for checkout, even for use during library space reservations.
- Mail delivery will remain available for those living outside the Los Angeles area.
- For access to library spaces: Appointment services only
- Access will be limited to those with reservations for a study space on L2 or L3 (non-computer spaces).
- Plexiglass will be installed at the reservation check-in service point, and social distancing measures and disinfecting supplies will be available in study spaces.
- Library services beyond use of the space for study will be available virtually as listed in Option 1 above.
- Archives and Special Collections researcher appointments would be available as permitted by county and university guidelines and library staff availability.
Option 3: Broader access to campus. Students living on campus in typical numbers.
This option would be possible if county guidelines allow for drop-in use of the library, although with masking, campus entry Lion health check, and occupancy limitations. This option assumes there is a significant proportion of students living on campus or coming to campus daily, and that all students, faculty, and staff have access to campus on a drop-in basis.
- Building Hours:
- Circulation Desk hours would meet or exceed the hours for the Distribution Center, to maintain similar access to pick up materials for those near campus.
- Reference librarians (Information Desk) would remain available virtually via 24/7 chat and research consultations.
- Archives & Special Collections would permit researchers by appointment within county guidelines.
- Access to Common Areas: Common study areas (without computers) could be used by reservation or drop-in appointment.
- Individual study carrels would be marked off for social distancing
- Tables would be individual use only
- Access to Book Stacks: Library book stacks would be available for browsing. Books picked up after use would be quarantined for 72 hours or more.
- Newspapers will be suspended in print, online subscriptions available.
- Service Desks: Library service desks would provide support, within time and safety guidelines
- Circulation Desk:
- Book, equipment, and media checkouts. Some equipment, like headphones, not available due to sanitation issues.
- Fines and patron registration as online transactions
- Print reserves not available, with e-reserves scanning encouraged where possible
- Archives and Special Collections:
- One researcher at a time, appointments in advance
- Limited access to gallery space as permitted by county guidelines
- Access to Study Rooms: Group study rooms would become independent study spaces, with reservations in advance encouraged.
- Library Events: Programming and events would remain online until county and university guidelines allow in-person events.
- Library Instruction and Workshops: Library instruction would be primarily online. Under limited circumstances it may be provided in-person, when the face-to-face mode of delivery best meets the needs of the class, the preferences of the instructor, availability of librarians, and availability of adequate classroom space and configuration.
- Rhetorical Arts classes would be offered online only, but with three options:
- Completely asynchronous (recording)
- Partly asynchronous (recording), but with a live/synchronous 20-30 minute component on Zoom
- All synchronous/live for 60 minutes on Zoom