Dear President Hamdullahpur,
We are writing on behalf of the Librarians’ and Archivists’ Association of the University of Waterloo (LAAUW) to express serious concern for our membership, our Library staff colleagues, and support staff across campus following Waterloo leadership’s decision to “maintain business and administrative operations during this period of uncertainty.”
While it is widely recognized that the week’s events are unprecedented, we are discouraged by the official messaging that has been put forth over the past several days – specifically the business as usual, wait-and-see approach to campus operations. We understand that emergency decision making and crisis communications are never easy, but we are compelled to question why Waterloo has neglected to follow the advice of public health officials and decisively prioritize flattening the curve.
At a time when other universities, public libraries, and government services are closed throughout Ontario to support social distancing, including in the Region of Waterloo, it is unclear why the University of Waterloo Library, and the campus as a whole, remains open. The health and safety of our on- and off-campus community should be considered far more important than in-person access to information resources and research support. Friday and Sunday’s directives to staff to continue reporting to work forces our colleagues whose jobs cannot be done remotely – many of whom are hourly workers – on public transit and in public spaces, where social distancing cannot be guaranteed.
Library staff members are experienced and adaptable members of the Waterloo community, who are well-positioned to remotely provide research, instruction and access services. LAAUW respectfully calls on Waterloo leadership to prioritize staff safety, wellness, and mental health by closing all Library locations and non-essential support units immediately. Our on-site work can wait. We urge you to act in a way that prioritizes the health and safety of Waterloo staff by closing campus and ensuring that all hourly workers, including co-op, work study and casual employees, are paid through this closure.
Respectfully and on Behalf of the Librarians’ and Archivists’ Association of the University of Waterloo,
Laura Bredahl
LAAUW President (2018-2020)