Any consideration of closure will be preceded by notification of the President of the Library Board and the Mayor of City of Madison by the Library Director, or person assigned in absence of the Library Director.
If a situation requires immediate closure due to an emergency or safety concern, the Library Director will notify the President of the Library Board and Mayor as soon as possible.
Inclement Weather:
All Madison Public Library locations will close when City of Madison offices close as directed by the Mayor and/or Madison Metro stops service due to inclement weather.
The Library Director in consultation with the President of the Library Board and Mayor may close all or some libraries, for a full or partial day, due to weather-related insufficient staffing or dangerous travel
conditions.
Safety Concern:
Any library location experiencing a safety concern can be closed immediately by the Supervisor of that location or by the Library Director if warranted. If it is the Supervisor’s decision to close, they will notify the Library Director as soon as possible depending on the situation, who will notify the President of the Library Board and Mayor. Closure will remain in place until the facility is deemed safe to reopen.
Any library location that has been directly ordered by another agency with appropriate authority, for example Police, Fire, Public Health, or Utilities, to close due to safety or other related concerns will
comply with the directive, and the Supervisor of that location will notify the Library Director, who will report to the President of the Library Board and the Mayor.
Staff Day:
All Madison Public Library locations will be closed for an annual Staff Day if approved by the Library Board and the Mayor.
At the Discretion of the Library Director:
If a situation does not allow sufficient time to consult or make notice to the President of the Library Board or the Mayor, the Library Director shall have the authority to close a library location if the situation warrants that action. The Library Director will immediately notify the President of the Library Board and the Mayor of the decision.
This policy was approved by the Library Board on June 1, 2023.