Hi everyone,

As we approach the winter weather season, I’d like to take a few moments to explain how the Library District handles emergency and weather-related closings, and how those decisions are made.

Who Makes the Decision

As the chief executive of the Library District, the Library Board has delegated to me the authority to make weather and emergency-related closing decisions. Unless I explicitly delegate that authority to someone else—such as a member of the administrative team or a branch manager—I am the only person authorized to make a closing decision.

Factors Considered

When determining whether to close, delay, or remain open, I consider several factors:

• Severity of the weather.
• Timing of the event. Is it occurring during the morning or evening commute?
• Temperature. Salt is ineffective on roads at 15°F or below.
• Visibility. Can people adequately see to safely drive their vehicles?
• Consensus of local organizations. Have nearby agencies or municipalities chosen to close?

While I consider the decisions of local school districts, our criteria differ. Schools must factor in issues such as bus routes on rural roads and meal preparation for hundreds of students. Consequently, there may be times when schools are closed but the library remains open. School closures are informative, but not determinative.

• Responsibility to our taxpayers.
  The Van Buren District Library is primarily funded through property taxes and exists to serve the community. It is our duty to remain open during our regular, posted hours whenever safely possible. At the same time, I strive to balance this responsibility with concern for staff safety—particularly since many employees live on rural roads that may not be plowed or salted promptly.

When and How the Decision Is Made

I typically begin assessing conditions around 5:00–5:30 AM, monitoring WWMT and The Weather Channel for current reports.

My first call is usually to Kyle Christensen at Webster Memorial Library, who is often on-site early and can provide firsthand information about road and weather conditions. If needed, I then reach out to branch managers across the County to get localized updates.

My goal is to make a final decision by 7:00 AM, after which notifications are sent to all staff, Library Board Trustees, and library vendors through our One Call Now system. The public is then notified via media alerts (e.g., WWMT and WNDU) and on social media.

Sometimes, I may determine that conditions will improve later in the day. In such cases, I may delay opening until noon or 1:00 PM, especially if temperatures are rising and county crews are making progress clearing roads.

If a storm develops later in the day, I continue monitoring weather updates and may issue an early closing to ensure staff can commute home safely.

Other Considerations

Weather forecasts are not always accurate—conditions can change quickly. There have been times when a severe storm was predicted, only for wind shifts to push it south or north of our area.

While most weather systems affect the entire region uniformly, certain storms may impact one part of our service area more than others. In such cases, I may make separate closing decisions for specific branches.

Ultimately, my goal is to balance our obligation to provide consistent service to the taxpayers who fund the Library District with the safety and well-being of our staff.

Receiving Closing Notifications

The Library District uses One Call Now, an online platform that notifies staff, Board members, and vendors of weather or emergency-related closings.

How it works:

• Each new employee is entered into the system upon hire and asked for their preferred communication method: phone call, email, or text message.
• Administrative staff—typically at Webster Memorial Library—enter the staff member’s contact information and preferences.

Important note about text messages:
Due to FCC regulations, the library cannot automatically enroll staff to receive text messages. If you prefer to receive text alerts, please inform administration and then text ALERT to 22300 to complete the opt-in process. You should receive a confirmation text from One Call Now afterward.

Please remember to update your supervisor and library administration if your phone number, email address, or contact preferences change. The system cannot automatically detect such changes, and outdated contact information may prevent you from receiving timely alerts.

A test of the One Call Now system will be conducted on Monday, October 13. Ahead of this test Chantelle will notify everyone with further information.

In Conclusion

There will inevitably be times when staff may disagree with a closing decision. If I decide to keep the library open and you do not feel safe traveling, you may use paid time off (PTO) to remain home.

The library will only grant paid administrative leave when I have officially closed the library—or a specific branch—due to weather or emergency conditions.

If the Library District does close, certain staff members (such as managers or those with essential duties) may still be required to attend online meetings or handle responsibilities remotely.

I hope this memo helps clarify how weather and emergency closings are determined. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me or Chantelle.