Smithton Public Library District Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19

Posted on Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 9:45 AM

The Smithton Public Library District recently had an employee test positive for COVID19. The positive staff member last worked at the library on Thursday, July 30, 2020. Patrons who might have interacted with this individual have been notified.

The library will provide curbside service for the next two weeks. 

Extra steps have been taken to reduce the chance of spreading COVID19 among staff members and patrons. The library has a mandatory mask policy for patron interactions, as well as plexiglass installed at the circulation desk. Staff routinely clean their workstations at the end of each shift. The library is professionally cleaned twice per week. Hand sanitizer is available and staff are encouraged to wash their hands frequently.

Affected staff members have been quarantined and will not return to the library until it is safe to do so, per Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Circulated items are quarantined for 4 days, to effectively kill the COVID-19 virus, as determined by research data from IMLS/OCLC/Battelle’s REALM Project study. (REALM Project results can be reviewed, here.)

Questions should be directed to director Jenna Dauer at 618-233-8057.

For general questions about COVID-19 and Illinois’ response and guidance, call the Illinois department of public health at 1-800-889-3931 or email DPH.SICK@ILLINOIS.GOV

About the author

Smithton Public Library

The Smithton Public Library District is located in southern Illinois, near St. Louis, MO. The library serves nearly 5,000 residents. We hope you visit us soon!