Dear Colleagues,

Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, the State Director of Emergency Management, signed Administrative Order No. 2020-15 on June 13, 2020.  The Administrative Order is attached to this email.  Paragraph 2 on page 5 specifically concerns libraries and is copied below:

Libraries

2. It is hereby clarified that libraries are permitted to reopen their outdoor spaces to the public pursuant to the provisions of Executive Order No. 153 (2020). In addition, all municipal, county, and State public libraries, and all libraries at public and private colleges and universities, are permitted to reopen to the public, but only where they adopt policies that include, at minimum, the following requirements:
     a. Patrons shall not be permitted to enter the brick-and-mortar premises, but instead shall be permitted to pick up or drop off materials outside of the facility that they have already ordered (“curbside pickup/drop-off”);
     b. In-premises operations shall be limited, wherever feasible, to those employees who are responsible for the operations required for curbside pickup/drop-off;
     c. Transactions shall be handled in advance by phone, email, facsimile, or other means that avoid person-to-person contact, wherever feasible;
     d. Patrons shall notify the facility by text message, email, or phone once they arrive, whenever feasible, or make best efforts to schedule their arrival time in advance. The patron shall be asked to remain in their vehicle, if arriving by car, until staff delivers or retrieves the materials; and
     e. Designated employees shall bring materials outside of the facility and place the materials directly in a patron’s vehicle whenever feasible.

Additionally, libraries opening to the public pursuant to this paragraph shall also abide by the following policies, at a minimum:
     f. Require infection control practices, such as regular hand washing, coughing and sneezing etiquette, and proper tissue usage and disposal;
     g. Provide employees break time for repeated handwashing throughout the workday;
     h. Provide sanitization materials, such as hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes, to staff;
     i. Require frequent sanitization of high-touch areas to which workers have access, and ensure proper sanitization of shared goods;
     j. Require workers to wear cloth face coverings and gloves when interacting with other workers or patrons and require workers to wear gloves when in contact with patrons or goods. Facilities must provide, at their expense, such face coverings and gloves for their employees. N othing in the stated policy should prevent workers from wearing a surgical-grade mask or other more protective face covering if the individual is already in possession of such equipment, or if the facility is otherwise required to provide such worker with more protective equipment due to the nature of the work involved.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best regards,

Bob Keith
Director of Library Law, State Aid, and Statistics
New Jersey State Library

Street Address:
185 W. State St.
Trenton, NJ 08608

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 520
Trenton, NJ 08625

P: 609-278-2640x192
F: 609-278-2650
rkeith@PROTECTED

The above information does not constitute legal advice or opinion.  Please consult with an attorney prior to taking any action on the above information.