Tough Decisions about Weather Closings

I think one of the toughest decisions I have to make is whether or not to close the library in bad or threatening weather. There are so many things to consider... safety of patrons, safety of staff, road conditions, drive home conditions, etc.

There are secondary issues that many patrons may not realize. If we open the library and schools close, parents many times send their children to the library as a form of day care. As long as the child is old enough to be left unaccompanied by an adult and as long as they adhere to library rules of behavior, that's fine. But what happens if the library has to close early? There may be times when a storm worsens during the day and a decision to close at noon or 3:00 p.m. might be made. What happens to our young patrons?

Is there a parent who can take off of work to pick them up? We certainly do not want to send anyone out in bad weather to "walk" home.

Another issue is the nature of the beast of Paulding County -- so to speak. This beast is the series of rural back roads -- many bordered by deep ditches. If there is any icing whatsoever, a driver may find themselves in deep trouble -- literally. Also, as one of my staff members shared, if the wind starts blowing, we're doomed.

Paulding County is different from other areas. We have strong winds sweeping over flat plains. In the country, or rural areas, this results in tremendous drifts and white-out conditions. In the villages, where there is some natural wind breaks in the trees and buildings, the snow simply piles up.

It is just not worth taking the risk. The safety of our patrons and the staff is of utmost importance. In a week or two no one will remember that the library was closed for two days due to the storm. But, if a staff member or patron is injured due to hazardous weather/driving conditions, that memory will stay with us a long time.

If we have to close early, or decide not to open at all, there are no overdue fines charged. Patrons do not have to worry about getting their materials back by dropping them in our bookdrops. We do not want anyone to take risks.

So, while some decisions are easier than others -- the decision to close the library due to hazardous weather/driving conditions is one that impacts lives. And, as long as I am the Director, I will err on the side of caution.

Happy Reading!