That is ours as well. I typically close when the school is closed. There is a sign on our door stating we may open late/close/close early due to inclement weather and to call if it is questionable. We also remind patrons verbally when the weather forecast is snowy. Lynne K. Lesky, Director Alanson Area Public Library 7631 Burr Avenue PO Box 37 Alanson, MI 49706 (231) 548-5465 ________________________________ From: Amber Hughey via Michlib-l <michlib-l@liblists.org> Sent: Thursday, December 4, 2025 4:04 PM To: Cierra Bakovka <cierra@henikalibrary.org>; Cierra Bakovka via Michlib-l <michlib-l@liblists.org> Subject: [Michlib-l] Re: Winter Weather Policy Mine is very easy. The Library Director shall determine whether the Library should close for severe inclement weather. The Library Director shall notify employees scheduled to work. On 12/04/2025 3:21 PM EST Cierra Bakovka via Michlib-l <michlib-l@liblists.org> wrote: Hi all, What's your policy regarding closing, closing early, and/or delaying opening for weather during the winter? We're looking at updating our policy. Thanks! Cierra Bakovka, MLIS She/Her Director Henika District Library 149 South Main St. Wayland, MI 49348 269-792-2891 ext. 309 cierra@henikalibrary.org<mailto:cierra@henikalibrary.org> [cid:0.1720523870.9168433444325537123.19aeb0697ff__inline__img__src] _______________________________________________ Michlib-l mailing list -- michlib-l@liblists.org To unsubscribe send an email to michlib-l-leave@liblists.org

We close if the school is closed. Saturdays are at the director's discretion. Jacqueline LaFreniere, Director Beaver Island District Library 26400 Donegal Bay Road PO Box 246 Beaver Island, MI 49782 (231) 448-2701 On Fri, Dec 5, 2025 at 3:44 PM Deb Hemmye via Michlib-l < michlib-l@liblists.org> wrote:

Generally, I as the director make the call about weather-related closings, however if the other main buildings in our city are closing, we most likely would, too. We are a department of our city and the two other buildings are the Rec Center, which we share a parking lot with and our city hall. At the same time, we are a very walkable community (about 1.5 miles square) and I am the only staff who lives more than 3-4 miles away, so I keep that in mind as well. All of this means that I am pretty slow to close.

*Deb Hemmye* Library Director Huntington Woods Public Library 26415 Scotia Road Huntington Woods, MI 48070 248-543-9720, ext. 686

Currently listening to* The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, *by Jonathan Haidt

------------------------------ *From: *"Michlib" <michlib-l@liblists.org> *To: *"Cierra Bakovka" <cierra@henikalibrary.org> *Cc: *"Michlib" <michlib-l@liblists.org> *Sent: *Friday, December 5, 2025 10:32:57 AM *Subject: *[Michlib-l] Re: Winter Weather Policy

Closings are at the discretion of the Director. Maximum 3 days (24 hours) a Season, will be paid to scheduled staff if we close, delay, close early.

*Mary Franklin * * | Library Director*

*a: * 44 North State Rd | Newaygo, MI 49337 *e: * director@newaygolibrary.org | * w: *newaygolibrary.org <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__newaygolibrary.org_&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=sW0QtgsUF_VTgHYbMLAYDX2ikQwQhwFgtcNmyu5STJQ&m=BHKMAC1zcw7wkSowXJ5s13e5q9P_inI2e_JXsaWZevOfMcWThPQ9vMSS7VLSdvcA&s=Ez2YuWyqFouqAG_wfeGrc7DJTRd7ly9BX2t99_SdO7M&e=> *p: * 231 652 6723

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---- On Thu, 04 Dec 2025 15:21:09 -0500 *Cierra Bakovka via Michlib-l <michlib-l@liblists.org <michlib-l@liblists.org>>* wrote ---

Hi all,

What's your policy regarding closing, closing early, and/or delaying opening for weather during the winter? We're looking at updating our policy. Thanks!

*Cierra Bakovka, MLIS *

She/Her *Director* Henika District Library

149 South Main St. Wayland, MI 49348 269-792-2891 ext. 309 cierra@henikalibrary.org

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_______________________________________________ Michlib-l mailing list -- michlib-l@liblists.org To unsubscribe send an email to michlib-l-leave@liblists.org _______________________________________________ Michlib-l mailing list -- michlib-l@liblists.org To unsubscribe send an email to michlib-l-leave@liblists.org

Very helpful - thanks! Deb Hemmye Library Director Huntington Woods Public Library 26415 Scotia Road Huntington Woods, MI 48070 248-543-9720, ext. 686 Currently listening to The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, by Jonathan Haidt From: "Michlib" <michlib-l@liblists.org> To: "Cierra Bakovka" <cierra@henikalibrary.org> Cc: "Michlib" <michlib-l@liblists.org> Sent: Saturday, December 6, 2025 1:00:20 PM Subject: [Michlib-l] Re: Winter Weather Policy Hi Cierra, Van Buren District Library does not have a policy as such, but this fall I wrote a comprehensive statement (at the urging of my then-assistant director) to explain the thought process behind weather and emergency related closings and delays. Please find that statement below. I’ve also attached it a a Word document. Best, Dan Hutchins Executive Director Van Buren District Library 200 North Phelps Street Decatur, MI 49045 dhutchins@vbdl.org ph: 269-423-4771 [ https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.vbdl.org&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=sW0QtgsUF_VTgHYbMLAYDX2ikQwQhwFgtcNmyu5STJQ&m=LFSLfW0-VB5tTQllE_1WhJJYMHrpsZNBX21HoCI3CkOjmOpiQXJluXevjdxhPKi_&s=SuavqqX2M_TWHRtFUO1gGt0bvz1rx2eZ8e_g_GHwF_U&e= | www.vbdl.org ] 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. On Dec 4, 2025, at 3:21 PM, Cierra Bakovka via Michlib-l <michlib-l@liblists.org> wrote: Hi all, What's your policy regarding closing, closing early, and/or delaying opening for weather during the winter? We're looking at updating our policy. Thanks! Cierra Bakovka, MLIS She/Her Director Henika District Library 149 South Main St. Wayland, MI 49348 269-792-2891 ext. 309 [ mailto:cierra@henikalibrary.org | cierra@henikalibrary.org ] <logo_summer_transparent_background.png> _______________________________________________ Michlib-l mailing list -- michlib-l@liblists.org To unsubscribe send an email to michlib-l-leave@liblists.org _______________________________________________ Michlib-l mailing list -- michlib-l@liblists.org To unsubscribe send an email to michlib-l-leave@liblists.org