[OPLINTECH] Simple, cheap idea that might be adapted for some libraries

[Chad Neeper]

For the past several years, I've been moderately interested in
English-speaking vlogs and news from other countries. I find it useful to
see how non-Americans solve their every-day problems and to see the
technologies that they are using to do so. There is a lot of
head-slap-that's-so-obvious brilliance out there, some of which I've found
adaptable, adoptable, and useful in my own life and work. Back when most of
us were blissfully ignorant about SARS-CoV-2 and people here were maybe
just starting to hear about some new virus outbreak in China...shortly
thereafter, I remember seeing a picture of a grocery store checkout clerk
ostensibly in Wuhan province. I can't remember exactly where I saw this
picture and I haven't seen a similar picture since, although I've been
watching for one. So, unfortunately, I can't link to it..."a picture is
worth 1000 words", after all! But it stuck in my head and when the grocery
stores here in the States started putting up their "sneeze guards" for
cashiers, it just disappointed me that nobody here seemed to have employed
this cheap, simple, and effective idea.

The concept is easy:  Rather than mounting a limited clear plexiglass panel
between the customer and the clerk, this grocer simply hung clear plastic
from the ceiling in a 360 degree circle around the clerk, the register and
part of the counter. It was a full 360 barrier that looked to be maybe
around 6 feet in diameter and that hung from the ceiling to just a couple
inches above the counter...perhaps a little over waist high on the clerk.
The ceiling *was* rather high...maybe three or four times the height of the
clerk, but a high ceiling doesn't really matter all that much in this case
and it made for a meaningful scene. That's far better protection for both
the clerk and the customer than a single maybe 4'x4' plexiglass sheet. It
probably took less effort to mount, probably was easier to source, and was
quite possibly cheaper to purchase and install. Presumably, either  1) the
split/seam/overlap was positioned on the side furthest from the customer
and in a way that the clerk could separate and walk in,  or 2) the clerk
simply lifted the bottom of the plastic and ducked under.

Some people might understandably argue that, while it may perhaps be an
effective protective barrier, it's too ugly. The counter argument to that
might be to simply understand that the situation we find ourselves in is
*temporary* until we have herd immunity and that this is simply a temporary
means to help address a temporary problem. It also doesn't do any
permanent damage to your desks by way of screw-holes for plexiglass, etc!
It's certainly not going to be a good solution in every library, but I
could see how it could serve as an easy and easily-replacable barrier
between patrons and staff at perhaps a circ or reference desk. Perhaps the
idea might help some library as you try to figure out how to start opening
back up to the public.

If you do find the idea interesting, you might consider using a thin
transparent plastic from (pick your favorite: Home Depot, Lowes, Menards,
etc.) If it were me, I'd probably choose something like the .3 mil clear
painters plastic that I happen to have sitting here next to me. It's easily
light enough to hang from the ceiling with tape, tacks, string,
what-have-you. Being .3 mil, it's also super flimsy and you can easily
maneuver under it and bump/lift it out of the way with no effort, yet it's
strong to resist tearing. It comes in large rolls, so you can easily adapt
for various situations. If you have a problem with it flowing and moving
around too much with air currents, you could pretty easily I think tape
small weights to the bottom end to encourage it to stay in place...perhaps
roll a light dowel or yardstick into the bottom of the plastic. Or even
bring it all the way down to the desk, leaving just select areas open for
passing materials

Final thought:  Some libraries have makerspaces. How better to advertise
your makerspace than to...MAKE SOMETHING useful and practical! You could
even put up a sign saying something like "We made this in our makerspace.
Come see what *you* can make!"


Take it or leave it. Good or not. It's now in your capable hands.
(But if someone does implement it, I'd love to see a picture or two posted
back to the list for all to see how you implemented it!)
______________________________
*Chad Neeper*
Senior Systems Engineer

*Level 9 Networks*
740-548-8070 (voice)
866-214-6607 (fax)

*Full IT/Computer consulting services -- Specialized in public libraries*
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