Jennifer Eldridge was so excited when she realized she was the first Library Director in Texas to get one of the ILS Super Sanitizers.
“I think the biggest difference that we have seen as a result of this, is peace of mind and I think that’s what everyone is craving during this hectic time.”
Jennifer Eldridge, Library Director, Longview Public Library
Video Courtesy of CBS 19, Payton Weidman, Longview, TX Published: 9:11 PM CST January 12, 2021; View the rest of their article.
Per Eldridge, Longview PL averages around 13,000 items being checked-out per month and when the Pandemic hit they had definite issues re-circulating materials. “When we started receiving materials back, of course, we were concerned about items being covered in germs or potentially the COVID virus,” she explained. “There became longer wait times for materials, especially items that are new and that have hold lists.” The library’s process, prior to adding the book sanitizer, was an eight-day quarantine before re-circulating.
“The COVID-19 pandemic really rocked everybody’s worlds and came with a whole set of problems. For us, even before COVID, we always had a concern about passing germs from household to household, and we always made sure to wipe things down. The book sanitizer has really solved a huge problem for us, even beyond COVID,” Eldridge said. “This really helps put our minds at ease in an otherwise very stressful and challenging time.”
Per the Longview News Journal, “New technology that eliminates COVID-19 on book surfaces is being used now at the Longview Public Library to help protect patrons and ensure that books re-circulate quicker through the library.”
“Longview Public Library received $20,000 in CARES Act funds from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission to be used for COVID-related expenses, Longview Public Library Director Jennifer Eldridge said. The Longview library chose to use its funds to contract with an online tutoring program that library patrons can use and to purchase a book sanitizer that can kill germs, including the novel coronavirus, on book surfaces.”
After success from the Super Book Sanitizer, the library has now purchased the smaller TableTop Sanitizer for its Broughton branch and is all caught up from their quarantining back-log.
After success from the Super Book Sanitizer, the library has now purchased the smaller TableTop Sanitizer for its Broughton branch.