Category: Employees

Health Insurance and Open Enrollment

This serves as the official notice of the FY27 Open Enrollment period.  Attached are some FAQs to help with general inquiries. In addition, as there are many new changes to the plans, we will be sending out another email about employee informational sessions to discuss plan design changes. Learn more:

  • Monday, May 4, 2026
  • 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
  • Reading Memorial High School – Performing Arts Center
  • 62 Oakland Road
  • Monday, May 11, 2026
  • 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
  • Zoom Webinar– Link to be provided later this week

Click here to visit the Open Enrollment page to access plan designs, rates, and enrollment forms.

Updated Plan Options

Health Insurance Plans

  1. *Blue Care Elect (PPO)
  2. *Network Blue New England (HMO)
  3. Network Blue Select (more limited HMO Plan)

Dental Insurance Plans

  1. **Dental Blue with Orthodontics (current plan offered)
  2. Dental Blue no Orthodontics

*If you are currently enrolled in the PPO or HMO plan and take no action, you will automatically transfer to the new PPO or HMO, respectively.

**Everyone on the current dental insurance will remain on it unless they take action to switch plans.

Please either mail changes to the address below or email to Aventika Mehta at amehta@readingma.gov by Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at 12:00 PM.

Politically Expressive Activities (Reminder)

With state elections and ballot measures coming up this fall, we are seeing a significant increase in the number of people collecting signatures in our area.  Please review these guidelines:
  1. As a public building, RPL may dictate the time, place, and manner of politically expressive activities. We may not encourage or discourage this expression based on content.
  2. Collecting signatures or any politically expressive activities are permitted in the lower lobby near the entrance of the building.  This is the designated area.
  3. These activities may not interfere with patron use of the building (no blocking the elevator, book sale room, or Hush Booth).
  4. These activities may not interfere with staff performing their duties
  5. For safety reasons, people may not collect signatures (any politically expressive activities) in the parking lot.
  6. For privacy reasons (lockers and book drop), people may not collect signatures (any political activities) outside the main entrance of the building.
  7. RPL purview does NOT include the public sidewalks on School Street, Middlesex Ave, or Deering Street.
  8. Employees are not permitted to add their signature or participate in politically expressive activities while on duty. To avoid the appearance of conflicts of interest and ethical violations, please do not add signatures to petitions, etc., on any town building property, even while off duty.

Staff Parking

For employees who are on shift for more than three hours

If you are physically able, please park on the street during peak times, such as mornings of February vacation or Saturdays. You are welcome to move your vehicle closer to the building later in the day.  This helps with the overall safety of those entering and exiting the building for shorter periods of time.

For context: 157 people entered the building yesterday (Tuesday, 2/17) betwen 9-10 am with another 101 coming in between 10-11 am. See below:

9:00-9:59 AM 157
10:00-10:59 AM 101
11:00-11:59 AM 65
12:00-12:59 PM 72
1:00-1:59 PM 63
2:00-2:59 PM 80
3:00-3:59 PM 62
4:00-4:59 PM 53
5:00-5:59 PM 39
6:00-6:59 PM 54
7:00-7:59 PM 21
8:00-8:59 PM 3

KultureCity Training

LEADERBOARD
  • R&R     100%
  • BS          83%
  • Admin   75%
  • CR          50%
  • TS           50%
  • LT           43%
Thanks so much to everyone who’s completed the training!  If you haven’t gotten to it yet, don’t worry, there’s still time!
Let me know if you have any questions.
KultureCity Sensory Inclusive Training  (to be completed by January 31)

RPL is working towards being certified as a Sensory Inclusive institution with KultureCity.  KultureCity’s Sensory Inclusive program is designed to help guests with sensory needs like PTSD, autism, dementia, and strokes, just to name a few, feel welcomed.

Buildling Alarm Information

Opening or Closing the building? Here are instruction on how to use the four-digit code assigned to you by Facilities

OPENING

  • Enter through the main entrance of the library and go straight ahead to the white alarm panel
  • Enter your four digit code followed by “1” (e.g. 00001)
  • The panel should say “Disarmed”

CLOSING

  • Make sure all emergency doors, staff room doors (includng Administration) are shut. You cannot set the alarm if any of these are open.
  • Go to the whit alarm box in the entryway vestibule
  • Enter your four digit code folled by “2” (e.g. 00002)
  • The panel should say “Away” or “System Armed”

WHAT TO DO IF YOU SET OFF THE ALARM

What happens if you accidentally set off the building alarm when you arrive in the morning?? First, don’t panic. The alarm automatically calls the police department and a custodian. Employees should just wait and explain the error to those who respond. 

If you have/know your building code, try entering your code followed by “1” at either the the main security alarm keypad is in the entryway vestibule or at the secondary key pad is located at the Borrower Services Desk.

All alarms should be resolved by the police department and custodians. Even mistakes. They keep logs, stats, etc.

If you don’t know your building code, please reach out to your Department or Division Head.

Updated Emergency Response Guide

The updated Emergency Response Guide – updated as of April 2025 – is now available on the intranet. We will discuss several key points at the upcoming staff meeting.

FOR THURSDAY

Please have a printed copy at every service desk. Employees should read through this document carefully.

We do not have time to review the entire guide at the May 1 meeting, but still expect you all to be familiar with how to handle emergencies.