To “flatten the curve,” avoid overloading our health care delivery system and minimize the number of New Hampshire citizens that contract the disease, families and individuals must isolate and prevent the transmission of the disease. As families stay at home, they will inevitably go stir crazy, and likely resume socializing in incremental ways. To prevent this, we need creative ways to influence our citizens to remain at home for all nonessential activities. Providing library books, particularly for children, is an excellent way to encourage continued isolation. Libraries, historically, have been a hallmark of a civilized society and an incredible incubator for leaning and critical thinking, and we need them open to help solve this massive problem.

Therefore, I am dismayed that the New Hampshire Library Association has recommended that all municipal libraries close their doors. They state that this was a hard decision, but as I see it, it really was the easy way out. When you think about it, nearly everything we do individually and collectively is based on risk management. Do we cross the street, manufacture product X with its inherent liabilities, deliver meals with the inherent risk of car accidents and contracting communicable diseases – these decisions are based on the potential for negative consequences and rewards, or risk.

Closing library doors is the very least risky alternative to libraries, but that deprives us of an important tool to combat the spread of the virus. Other organizations continue to operate, but have managed their risks by use of PPE, disinfectants and the many engineering and administrative controls promulgated by OSHA specifically for the virus. In my view, libraries probably operate in a world where risk management is very rarely considered. Therefore, it is natural for them to take the very least risky route, even though in the big picture it increases the risk for all of us. Libraries could manage the risk to staff and patrons with relatively simple controls, such as pick-up and drop-off services, storing returned materials in containers beyond the three-day virus active period before restocking shelves, implementing 6-foot social distance rules, adding sneeze guards to counters, or many other mitigation measures that other organizations, including libraries in other affected states, are implementing right now.

Rather than applying rational, science-based solutions, libraries are encouraged to simply close. I find it ironic that the institution that fostered the development of science and reason has now closed its doors to it.

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