@your library Volume XXVII Number Four
A NEWSLETTER OF
Summer 2020
Online library services expand as staff adjust to working from home
W
by Tara Farrar
hat does it take to keep library services running when buildings are closed? The answer is a lot of dedicated work and creative thinking by library staff.
Library doors first closed to the public on March 13 as the seriousness of COVID-19 became evident. Curbside service was offered for a few days until, for the safety of staff, all buildings were shuttered and staff were asked to work from home. It's safe to say that no one anticipated the closures would continue this long. But IT staff and managers immediately went to work ensuring that everyone had access to a computer and wifi. By March 30, Customer Care was up and running and all AskUs methods including phone lines, text messaging and chat reopened. To make that happen, Customer Care laptops had to be equipped with special phone dialer software and headsets had to be distributed to the department staff. (So yes, when you call the library you might be talking to someone at home in their PJs.)
INSIDE:
Miss browsing the shelves? Central Library staff have created mystery grab bags for customers to pick up curbside. They are available for elementary ages, teens, or by genre for adults.
President's Podium: Parting—no sorrow, only gratitude page 2
Creative Writing Contest winners page 4
The Customer Care department got creative in putting the word out on social media when phone lines reopened at the end of March. Public facing staff also made a huge shift, creating brand new services to offer through social media and Zoom. Book clubs went virtual, branches offered live book recommendations on Facebook, and filmed storytimes, gardening tips and do-at-home crafts. Staff also sewed masks to donate, processed an enormous number of library card requests, and updated the library catalog—all from home. The TCCL website got an overhaul, putting all the virtual resources front and center. The Summer Reading Program went on. As curbside service prepared to restart in mid-May, public facing staff returned to branches. A planned June reopening was pushed back indefinitely as COVID-19 cases continued to rise in the county. Administrative staff and other departments continue working from home to keep buildings as safe as possible. Programs will likely remain entirely virtual through the end of the year. With fall approaching, staff are working to consolidate virtual offerings to free up time to meet the heavy demand for curbside service. Next time you pick up a book from your car, be sure to tell the staff thank you.
Central Library fire restoration complete page 5
Online book clubs: the new normal page 7