Guideline UL-ADG17 University Park Campus Cancellations and Delays – Library Response

Main Policy Content

Contents:

• Purpose
• Full-day cancellation
• Delayed or partial opening
• Staffing

PURPOSE:

Occasionally, weather may cause University Park to cancel or delay classes and other campus activities, during which time only staff designated as essential are expected to report to work. Although not typically designated as essential personnel, library staff will respond as follows:

FULL-DAY CANCELLATION (8 hours or more):

Announced for following day: If a full-day cancellation is announced in the evening for the following day, the Pattee/Paterno evening supervisor will be notified by a member of library administration or by the unit manager to close all University Park libraries as soon as is practical. The evening supervisor and unit manager will inform the overnight supervisor and staff to not report for duty. 

Branch libraries will not open.

Announced the same day (between midnight and 7:45 AM): If a full-day cancellation is announced overnight or early morning for the same day, the Pattee/Paterno overnight supervisor or staff member on duty will be notified by a member of libraries administration or by the unit manager that the library will close. Typically, the University will announce a cancellation by 5 AM, however, standard CATA bus service off campus to areas of high density student housing does not begin until after 6:30 AM. Since public transportation off-campus is essential for many of our staff and students, in the event of a full-day cancellation, library staff will typically close the facility at 7:00 AM.

Branch libraries will not open.

If the library chooses to re-open later the same day, library administration will work with department heads and managers to determine opening time, service model and staff available. If the library re-opens for service, then overnight service will also resume as scheduled.

PARTIAL CANCELLATION/DELAYED OPENING (typically 2-6 hours):

Announced for following day: If a partial cancellation/delay is announced in the evening for the following day, the Pattee/Paterno evening supervisor will be notified by a member of library administration or by the unit manager to close all University Park libraries as soon as is practical. The evening supervisor and unit manager will inform the overnight supervisor and staff to not report for duty. 

Branch libraries staff are responsible for closing the branch libraries.

All libraries will reopen when campus activities resume.

Announced the same day (between midnight and 7:45 AM): To ensure the safety of our users and staff, Pattee library will not typically close if a campus delay is announced when Pattee library is open overnight. Access Services staff is primarily responsible for maintaining first floor service until campus activities resume. Because of the difficulty in restricting user access to West Pattee, Paterno and the stacks after 8 AM, these areas will be open to users but may be unstaffed if no volunteers are available (see Staffing below).

Branch libraries will open when campus activities resume.

Announced mid-day: if the campus announces a cancellation after the library has opened for regular service (for example, if the campus announces a cancellation at noon), then all UP libraries will close as soon as is practical after the announced staff dismissal time. Overnight service will not resume until after the library reopens the following morning

Staffing: Libraries’ staff are not designated essential personnel by the University and cannot be required to report to work during a campus cancellation or delay. Staff in any department who remain at or report to work may be considered volunteers and temporarily designated essential personnel per Guideline UL-HRG09 WEATHER/EMERGENCY. Volunteers from any department may be asked to staff service desks during the event if needed. Full-time exempt and non-exempt staff who work during an official cancellation will be awarded compensatory time per Guideline 10 HANDLING "WEATHER DAY" ABSENCES OR OFFICIAL UNIVERSITY CLOSEDOWNS DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS. Non-exempt staff who work more than 8 hours during a cancellation must not exceed 40 hours during the workweek. If necessary, unit managers may approve overtime for part-time staff needed to staff service desks if the library remains open during a campus cancellation/delay.

CROSS REFERENCES:

Other Policies in this manual should also be referenced, especially the following:

UL-ADG01 – Internal Guidelines of Library Closings
UL-ADG15 – Reduced Staffing Procedures - Pattee and Paterno Libraries, University Park Campus
UL-HRG09 – Weather/Emergency

Effective Date: February 19, 2014

Revision History (and effective dates):

• April 2018 – New guideline

Last Review Date:  July 2018