DCPL Reopening Playbook
DC Public Library, D.C.
Innovation Synopsis
The Reopening Playbook is an operational framework for DC Public Library's approach to reopening branches during COVID-19. It details an incremental approach to providing services, and includes the operational details staff need to serve customers during the health emergency. It is a living document that changes as we learn and iterate.
Challenge/Opportunity
COVID-19 changed everything about how we live and work. DCPL needed to determine a reopening plan for the mayor while ensuring the health, safety and resiliency of the staff. We built an operational framework consisting of five incremental phases that matched the District’s reopening plans. Within each framework phase, we created a Reopening Playbook for staff detailing library operations, health and safety procedures, space layouts, customer service scripts and other tools staff would need to operate in each phase.
Key Elements of Innovation
- Design thinking approach with a cross-departmental team
- Collaborative tools for rapid iteration shifted work practices allowing for new collaborations and problem-solving
- Incremental framework for service expansion built through equity lens
- Pod staffing model
- Operations redesigned for health and safety including specific schematic layouts per branch per phase of opening
- Customer service scripts handling possible health and safety scenarios
- Customer pathway and signage options for branches to use during each phase
Achieved Outcomes
- New way of collaborating across DCPL to build a holistic response
- Eased fears about returning to work because everything was detailed out
- Easy for branch managers to iterate on branch setups and operations
- Easy to train staff as they returned to work
- Customers shared positive feedback on our setup and services, and have provided ideas we’ve been able to institute quickly such as adult book bundles for grab & go
