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Mail handling in serials (3 messages) Marcia Tuttle 01 Nov 2001 14:18 UTC

Sorry, hit the send button too soon in previous message. -Marcia
----------(1)
Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2001 08:31:26 -0500
From: Diana Jackson <DJACKSON@MAIL.MPL.LIB.OH.US>
Subject: Re: Mail Handling in Serials (Ann S. Doyle)

Our public library is providing latex gloves and plastic baggies to
Technical Services staff who receive the mail, including serials.  The
plastic baggies are for anything deemed suspicious.  We met yesterday with
a local law enforcement officer who basically assured everyone there was
no real danger, but each individual handling the mail should use their own
judgment concerning what they consider suspicious.

Diana L. Jackson
Cataloging Manager
Middletown Public Library
125 S. Broad Street
Middletown, OH  45044

(513)424-7194 ext. 219
djackson@mail.mpl.lib.oh.us

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2001 09:54:06 -0500
From: Ann S. Doyle <asdoyl2@UKY.EDU>
Subject: Mail Handling in Serials

Is anyone implementing new precautions with the mail in the past few
weeks?  We haven't yet, other than at the university level being alerted to
watch for suspicious mail and what to do if we come across anything.  I'm
thinking we might need to do something more specific (gloves?) in our unit
soon.

USPS info page:

http://www.usps.com/news/2001/press/pr01_1010tips.htm

CDC info page:

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/

Thanks,
Ann

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ann S. Doyle
Serials Acquisitions Librarian
William T. Young Library
University of Kentucky Libraries
500 S. Limestone St.
Lexington  KY  40506-0456
v.859.257.0500.x2132
f.859.257.0508
asdoyl2@uky.edu

----------(2)
Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2001 08:31:28 -0500
From: Maggie Rioux <mrioux@WHOI.EDU>
Subject: Re: Mail handling in serials

Stephen's got a good point - whatever makes each individual staff member
comfortable is ok. It's sort of analogous to emergency first aid
response. My husband and I are both EMTs here at WHOI. I watched him put
on gloves last Sunday at a marathon medical tent to tape an ice pack to
a young lady with a sore muscle - no blood, body fluids or anything
present except maybe a little sweat. I don't bother with gloves unless I
have good reason to suspect blood, urine or a lot of dirt. But just
having gloves handy (and zip lock bags too) is reassuring.
  Maggie Rioux

> Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2001 11:00:39 -0500
> From: Stephen Clark <sdclar@MAIL.WM.EDU>
> Subject: Re: Mail Handling in Serials
>
> Ann,
>
> Here at the College of William and Mary, we started making gloves and masks
> available for all who handle mail if they feel more comfortable using them.
> The USPS page also has a good downloadable poster on mail handling which we
> mounted in our mail area.  The College is having some informational meetings
> for all interested staff from the head of our student center and a
> representative of the local fire department.
>
> Staff are also being more conscious of who wanders through areas, particularly
> technical services areas.
>
> Some of our staff are taking this situation calmly while are others are a bit
> more edgy about it.
>
> This is a very delicate situation.  You need to deal with the situation calmly
> and rationaly and also attempt to make staff as comfortable about it as
> possible.
>
> Stephen Clark
> Acquisitions Librarian
> College of William and Mary
>

--
****************************************************************
* Maggie Rioux                   | Email: mrioux@whoi.edu      *
* Information Systems Librarian  | Voice: 508/289-2538         *
* MBL/WHOI Library               | Fax:   508/457-2156         *
* Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst. | Foot:  Clark Lab, Room 135  *
* Woods Hole, MA 02543           |        Quissett Campus, WHOI*
****************************************************************
President of North American Serials Interest Group (NASIG)
      - "a group of smart people of good will"

----------(3)
Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2001 09:08:53 -0500
From: "Watts, Bess (ETS: Library)" <bwatts@MONROECC.EDU>
Subject: Re: Mail Handling in Serials (Stephen Clark)

I'm no expert, but I wouldn't want to wear gloves.  Only because skin
anthrax is treatable and detected within days, whereas inhaled takes longer
to notice and can be fatal.  I guess I would use skin anthrax as my early
detection warning.  Again, this is my opinion and I have not read or seen
anything on this, it just makes sense to me.

Bess Watts
Interlibrary Loan
LeRoy V Good Library
Monroe Community College
1000 East Henrietta
Rochester  NY  14623
bwatts@monroecc.edu