Reopening Archives, Libraries, and Museums (REALM) Information Hub: A COVID-19 Research Project

As libraries and museums around the country begin to resume operations and reopen facilities to the public, there is need for clear information to support the handling of core museum, library, and archival materials.   

OCLC, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and Battelle are conducting research on how long the COVID-19 virus survives on materials that are prevalent in libraries, archives, and museums. The project will draw upon the research to produce authoritative, science-based information on how—or if— materials can be handled to mitigate exposure to staff and visitors.

To achieve these goals, the REALM project will:

• Collect, review, and summarize authoritative research that applies to materials commonly found in the collections and facilities of archives, libraries, and museums
• Ongoing consultation and engagement with a project steering committee, working groups, and other subject matter experts from archives, libraries, and museums
• Laboratory testing of how COVID-19 interacts with a selection of materials commonly found in archives, libraries, and museums; and identifying methods of handling and remediation
• Synthesize the above inputs into toolkit resources that support reopening and operational considerations
• Share project information and toolkit resources through the project website and amplified by member associations and support organizations that serve archives, libraries, and/or museums.
  
  

Research timeline 

This project is designed to be flexible and evolve as more becomes known about the virus and practices to reduce risk of transmission. The partnership will address known and emergent research questions in three phases:

Phase 1: Preparing for Reopened Libraries: Research on High-Priority Materials and Workflows (May 2020 – August 2020)

This phase will collect, curate, and disseminate information and illustrative practices for handling physical collections and facilities in anticipation of a phased-in or full reopening of public library buildings and services starting as early as May 2020. This phase will produce an initial set of toolkit resources.

Activities include:

• Conducting literature reviews of scientific research
  
  • Preliminary Literature Review published June 3, 2020
  • Systematic Literature Review published June 17, 2020
• Developing laboratory testing scenarios and identifying materials to prioritize for analysis
  • Test Plan for the Natural Attenuation of SARS-CoV-2 as a Decontamination Approach [PDF] updated July 29, 2020
• Laboratory testing at Battelle
  • Test 1 results published June 22, 2020
  • Test 2 results published July 20, 2020
    
• Gathering and assessing protocols and guidelines for other materials-based service industries
• Gathering examples of public and state library plans and protocols for reopening
  • Sample public library plans published June 24, 2020; will monitor and update
    
• Weekly Executive Project Steering Committee, Scientific Working Group, and Operations Working Group meetings
• Communication of project updates through the website
  • REALM Project: Happening Now
    
• Setting up additional project communication channels and a community network of associations and support organizations.

Phase 2: Additional Research to Support Operations of Libraries, Archives, and Museums (June 2020 – October 2020)
This phase will study a second set of materials and workflows across libraries, archives/special collections, and museums. This set will include any materials and workflows that have factors that were not addressed in Phase 1 but are important to the function of archives, libraries, and/or museums. The research activities will produce a second set of toolkit resources, and will update Phase 1 resources with new information that may have emerged. A more fully designed website will be launched during this phase.

• Test 3 results published on August 18, 2020
• Test 4 results published on September 3, 2020
• Test 5 initiated on August 29, 2020
• WebJunction webinar was presented on August 4, 2020.
  
• A second scientific literature review initiated in August, and is expected to be published in October.
  

Phase 3: Monitor, Update, Communicate (October 2020 – September 2021)
In Phase 3, the project will continue to monitor and review emerging research that may require updates and additions to what has been created during the first two phases. In addition, as the rate of transmission for the virus changes over time and communities continue to adjust to those changes, the policies and practices of libraries and museums may also warrant a change.