I would just like to state that here in FL, as well as in other states and areas, public library jobs are hard to find, especially right now. It’s very competitive here. Those of us who cannot relocate due to family commitments cannot simply leave our jobs...

...when we are tasked with something we don’t want to do and aren’t trained for. You may not, but I NEED my job. I NEED my health insurance; I cover my entire family. I’m not justifying decisions made by county commissioners. I can also tell you that...

...many county governments would privatize their libraries in a heartbeat rather than deal with the possibility of unions or unrest re: library worker’s safety. This is the reality. It sucks for many of us. I hope for change and I am not at all justifying the...

...treatment library workers are dealing with right now. We opened to the public in early June and have remained open. Patrons could use computers (limited), browse, and check out books since we reopened. Staff safety concerns fell on deaf ears. Our position in the...

...county pecking order is extremely precarious. They have tried to privatize us several times in the past, and we’d all lose our jobs anyway if they did this. We are doing all the cleaning/disinfecting we can, etc....

...and so far no one at our branch has tested positive. We realize we are only extremely lucky - it DOES NOT mean it’s safe to reopen, but it doesn’t bolster our argument that the libraries should remain closed to the public when we aren’t getting sick (awful reasoning...

...I know). I’m not asking anyone to feel sorry for me. Please just understand that I recognize the dangers but quitting/refusing is not an option for many of us. It is, however, one of the reasons I’m looking elsewhere.