Controlled re-opening of archives and libraries

From a professional point of view I would like to suggest that archives and libraries should be considered for re-opening at an early stage of the relaxation of lockdown measures.
I believe that many of these bodies have been preparing plans to maintain social distancing and appropriate standards of hygiene, some of which were in fact already in place before closure, and therefore would be well placed to re-open on a controlled basis.

Why the contribution is important

Many students and academics require access to these facilities to continue their studies and research, since only a small proportion of sources are available online. They also constitute a very important resource for the general public for both educational and recreational purposes.

by GenStuds on May 06, 2020 at 11:05AM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.1
Based on: 10 votes

Comments

  • Posted by picture1 May 06, 2020 at 11:56

    Many would be suited to social distancing - they already control access & lots of users are working independently.

  • Posted by StepRam May 06, 2020 at 12:07

    I agree as a Student doing a dissertation this has been difficult but it will require risk assessment and management. Once you have used a book it will need to be put aside for a period of days for any virus to die and seating and movement restrictions considered.

  • Posted by lmg1612 May 06, 2020 at 12:16

    I stopped using our local library a long time ago. The main reason being its no longer a quiet, enjoyable place. It's always full of community groups, kids yelling, people using computers. Too noisy and too many people. However a limited amount of people in at one time would work.

  • Posted by Strathclyde_gal May 06, 2020 at 14:23

    Reopening archives would be a boon to students and researchers. Many are already set up with controlled access and provide information not available online.

  • Posted by GillyWhite May 07, 2020 at 16:00

    When deemed safe to do so I agree with this.

  • Posted by PhillDrolls May 08, 2020 at 16:18

    Researchers usually travel. We should not encourage this.
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