On Monday Ontario Premier Ford announced measures to “help blunt transmission and prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed.”What does it mean for the GLAM sector — galleries, libraries, archives and museums?
“Closing museums, galleries, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions, amusement parks and waterparks, tour and guide services and fairs, rural exhibitions, and festivals.”
“Public libraries limited to 50 per cent capacity.”
Here’s the situation casting around the local GLAM websites.
Ottawa Public Library: no information
City of Ottawa Archives: no information
Library and Archives Canada: no information. The latest post of 31 December “Monitoring the COVID-19 situation” indicates readiness to move when needed, tempering the optimism of the 13 December post “Gradual increase in services to the public in Ottawa.”
Science and Technology Museums: “Ingenium museums will be closed January 5 to 26.”
Canadian Museum of Nature: “On Wednesday, January 5, the museum will close until further notice because of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Canadian Museum of History and Canadian War Museum: “closing to the public effective immediately and will reopen on January 19, 2022.”
Archives of Ontario: “The Reading Room is open by appointment only.”
COMMENT: It is tempting to speculate from the cheap seats on the situation and delayed response.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1478083526482399249
Keep track of the COVID developments, as far as limitations in testing allow, from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html?topic=tilelink
The libraries might not have anything up yet if they took their stat yesterday…Unless absolutely necessary, I don’t work from home to update the website of the library where I work (in BC). Hopefully today, they will update.
I was glad to see the libraries were left open – so many people depend on them for internet access and somewhere to borrow what they need to pass the time in semi-lockdown.