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

[Chad Neeper]

Just a quick follow-up:
The creative juices are already starting to flow. A director just responded
off-list with a great variation:  a shower curtain.
It might be tricky to find a clear one, if that's your need/desire. But I'd
say that's a pretty great variation...sturdy plastic, pre-made holes with
grommets, usually weighted, reinforced bottoms...

______________________________
*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*


On Fri, Apr 17, 2020 at 11:48 AM Chad Neeper <cneeper at level9networks.com>
wrote:

> 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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