AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) – The coronavirus pandemic has pressured libraries within the Shenandoah Valley to stability service with public security and well being. It’s been an eye-opening expertise that’s led to some out-of-the-box pondering.
“I feel how we used to make use of our house and the way individuals anticipated to make use of our house goes to be essentially modified due to the pandemic,” mentioned Sarah Skrobis , director of the Staunton Library.
Libraries are hubs for group connection, in addition to entry to sources and programming.
Then COVID-19 occurred.
“It’s turned every part on its head,” Skrobis mentioned.
“We needed to begin excited about how can we offer entry in additional versatile methods, on individuals’s phrases, how we might do it safely,” Augusta County Library Director Jennifer Brown mentioned.
It’s led to curbside pickup, grab-and-go programming, and packages via Zoom and YouTube.
“By bringing a few of these issues just about we are able to meet individuals on their phrases after they’re prepared,” Brown mentioned.
Libraries additionally responded with out of doors story occasions.
“They have been a improbable success,” Skrobis mentioned. “We had over a 1,000 individuals attend 31 completely different story occasions.”
In Staunton, digital useful resource use like e-books and audiobooks has skyrocketed: up 40% in two years in line with Skrobis.
COVID-19 has additionally drawn consideration to the digital divide: “It actually shined a light-weight on the shortage of alternative for some group members to entry broadband, to entry know-how, to get on-line and do all of these necessary issues many people take with no consideration,” Skrobis mentioned.
Brown says Wi-Fi went up astronomically when libraries closed within the county.
“Individuals would sit within the car parking zone on their telephones or on their units,” Brown mentioned. “They didn’t have web at house.”
So, Augusta County began circulating scorching spots, and continues to develop its assortment.
“Whether or not it’s for work, whether or not it’s for telehealth, whether or not it’s for varsity, it doesn’t matter,” Brown mentioned. “Individuals want entry.”
“I simply need to get to level the place everybody in our group once more feels snug having the ability to enter the constructing, that they really feel secure doing so,” Skrobis mentioned. “And that we are able to proceed to suppose outdoors the field like this to get out to the place our group is, to current providers and sources in new extra handy methods for them. Take down any boundaries to entry that exist.”
Staffing shortages as a consequence of COVID-19 meant Staunton needed to roll again its service to curbside just for a few weeks, however the library constructing is as soon as once more open to the general public.
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Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved.
