----------(1)
Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2001 13:07:19 -0600
From: "Fayad, Melissa H." <FayadM@MISSOURI.EDU>
Subject: Re: Mail handling in serials (Scott Wicks)

Concerning food at the desk during quarantine, what about the possibility of
ingested anthrax if it IS really anthrax?
Melissa H. Fayad
Library Assistant
University of Missouri-Columbia
Law Library
224 Hulston Hall
Columbia, MO  65211-4190

(573) 884-4455 (voice mail available)
fax (573) 882-9676
http://www.law.missouri.edu/library/
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2001 11:31:04 -0500
From: Scott Wicks <sbw2@CORNELL.EDU>
Subject: Re: Mail handling in serials

Like many others, Cornell has issued guidelines for mail handling.  We have
made gloves available to staff and discussed the steps to take when
encountering suspect mail.

Yesterday we had an incident with something called "press powder."  At
least one publisher (and I'm sure there are others, too) uses this powder
to prevent pages from sticking together and the wrapper from adhering to
the cover while in transit.  Usually the amount is so minimal that one does
not see it.  Yesterday we SAW it and had a nice test run of our "what to
do" procedures.

I thought that you might like to be aware of this powder, not that you
shouldn't take every precaution, but to consider this factor for your local
"Health Safety" crisis responders to investigate while you all sit around
in quarantine wondering why you didn't think ahead to be sure you had food
at your desk to endure just such an event.

When we contacted the publisher, we learned that they had received similar
queries over the past several weeks.  Maybe they will change their policy.

--Scott

----------(2)
Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2001 14:19:28 -0500
From: Lucy Duhon <LDuhon@UTNET.UTOLEDO.EDU>
Subject: Re: Mail Handling in Serials (Stephen Clark)

Stephen,

Similar to you, we've just been all-around more security-conscious.
We're more rigid about keeping our back (mailroom) door locked at all
times, and we're more alert to people coming and going.

We've also made latex gloves and masks available to our student
assistants who open the mail.  They seem grateful and relieved to have
this option!  We've also included Band-Aids and antiseptic lotion as
part of our "first-aid" package, and we're providing gallon-size
zip-lock bags.  If the students choose not to wear gloves, we ask them
to at least wash their hands frequently after handling mail.

We've also got a short list of "WHAT IF" instructions posted.  Just the
other day a couple of the students were mildly apprehensive about an
odd-looking envelope that came in with no return address.  They
immediately placed it in a zipper bag and removed it from the room.
Well, it turned out to be OK (after a bit of pondering and putting a
couple of heads together, we decided to take a chance opening it).  It
was good to see them vigilant though, and responding in the appropriate
manner -- putting what they've learned into practice.

The most difficult aspect of this whole ordeal is knowing when to make
something of a situation, and when not to -- one hates to cause an
uproar and drain resources over nothing.  The biggest danger of this
threat seems to be the widespread disruption it's managed to create.
But better to be safe.  Or alert, at least.

Lucy Duhon
Serials Librarian
Carlson Library/Serials Dept.
University of Toledo
Toledo, OH  43606

(419) 530-2838
(419) 530-2726 [fax]
lucy.duhon@utoledo.edu <mailto:lucy.duhon@utoledo.edu>

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2001 11:00:39 -0500
From: Stephen Clark <sdclar@MAIL.WM.EDU>
Subject: Re: Mail Handling in Serials

Ann,

Here at the College of William and Mary, we started making gloves and
masks available for all who handle mail if they feel more comfortable
using them. The USPS page also has a good downloadable poster on mail
handling which we mounted in our mail area.  The College is having some
informational meetings for all interested staff from the head of our
student center and a representative of the local fire department.

Staff are also being more conscious of who wanders through areas,
particularly technical services areas.

Some of our staff are taking this situation calmly while are others are a
bit more edgy about it.

This is a very delicate situation.  You need to deal with the situation
calmly and rationaly and also attempt to make staff as comfortable about
it as possible.

Stephen Clark
Acquisitions Librarian
College of William and Mary

--
Stephen D. Clark
Acquisitions Librarian
College of William and Mary
Earl Gregg Swem Library
Acquisitions Department
P.O. Box 8794
Williamsburg, VA  23187-8794
757.221.3107
fax:  757.221.2635
e-mail:  sdclar@wm.edu