We noticed you have items in your shopping cart.
Would you like to submit your order before leaving?
You already have an order pending approval.
Do you want to overwrite your current pending request with this order?
You are trying to log on to your penworthy account that is shared with another user.
There can only be one active user in a shopping cart at a time. Please wait to log on
until the other user has signed out. For questions or concerns, please contact us.
05/07/2021
"Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve, and contribute to improving our quality of life." -Sidney Sheldon
A library is a space of infinite possibilities. Walking through the door, a reader is transported to a place where anything can happen, and where anything can be learned. Even in this digital age, libraries provide the best resources for communities to not only gain knowledge and whet the imagination, but also to gather, to create, to commune.
According to historical
records, the Darby Free Library in Darby, Pennsylvania, holds the title of
being the oldest continuously operating free library in the United States[1]. It was begun by the
Quakers as a place to congregate and learn, and has been serving the public
since 1743. Although its roots are in circulating books, it, like most
libraries has evolved into a space that offers not only reading materials, but
children’s programs, maker space, author events and more. This is seen in
libraries across the country, as the concept of what a library is changes and
grows to serve each library’s community.
During the current COVID-19 pandemic, libraries have had to completely rethink how they serve their patrons, including their youngest readers. Instead of in-person Story Hours, the Milwaukee Public Library System has set up online Reading Buddies, where a librarian is virtually paired with a child to read together via Google Meet, as well as virtual Pajama Story Time. They’ve added a virtual “Teacher in the Library” time for kids to get assistance with class assignments and get encouragement. In McMurray, Pennsylvania, youth services librarian Sydney Krawiec at Peters Township Public Library created an online Harry Potter-themed virtual escape room using Google Docs[2]. Iowa’s Cherokee Public Library took their popular esports program online so kids can keep playing in a contactless environment[3]. Virginia’s Montgomery County Public School District partnered with a drone delivery company to get books checked out and into the hands of student, bringing “air mail” to new heights[4].
As community centers, libraries have long provided services
like computer use, internet access, eBooks and more. These services have been
limited in a few instances, such as in-person computer use, but, based on an
ALA recommendation, many libraries have kept their Wi-Fi on, even during
library closures, making sure that people who need it can still get access[5]. The ALA has also served as a resource center
for libraries nationwide, providing everything from on-line seminars on
employment and caregiving to state-by-state recovery and reopening plans[6].
In 2014, author Shannon Mattern suggested thinking of
libraries as infrastructure. She stated, “I propose that thinking about the
library as a network of integrated, mutually reinforcing, evolving
infrastructures — in particular, architectural, technological, social,
epistemological and ethical infrastructures — can help us better identify what
roles we want our libraries to serve, and what we can reasonably expect of
them.”[7] This interesting twist on
the characterization of what a library is makes perfect sense during this
pandemic. Libraries are as essential to
the communities they serve as roadways, public water utilities and electricity.
When considered in this manner, it is easy for even those who do not work in a
library to understand why the changes in ways to continue the mission of the
library were so critically important. Just as the electric company has had to
adapt to how to serve its customers, including suspending disconnection and
reviewing repair protocols during COVID[8], so have libraries taken
measures to continue to “keep the lights on” for their patrons, even the
youngest.
Hats off to our schools and libraries, our essential librarians and teachers, and
all involved who made sure children’s imaginations continued to be fueled
during this global pandemic. You’ve all done a yeoman’s job of continuing to
provide your communities with the multiple services and resources they depend
on. Thank you for all that you do.
[1] http://www.delcolibraries.org/darby-free-library
Retrieved 04/23/2021
[2] https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSflNxNM0jzbZJjUqOcXkwhGTfii4CM_CA3kCxImbY8c3AABEA/viewform
Retrieved 04/29/2021
[3] http://www.ilovelibraries.org/article/library-esports-programs-keep-kids-connected?utm_source=ILL&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=crpares
Retrieved 04/23/2021
[4] http://www.ilovelibraries.org/article/librarians-are-mvps-back-school-season?utm_source=ILL&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=crpares
Retrieved 04/29/2021
[5] http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2020/03/american-library-association-recommends-libraries-leave-wifi-open-during?fbclid=IwAR1EXmlHRPKQdXX-qfgM4s_VrfNOX1rs_STSgEAG45uqff-2BxhcZ3J4b1M
Retrieved 04/29/2021
[6] http://www.ala.org/tools/covid/guidance-protocols
Retrieved 04/28/2021
[7] https://placesjournal.org/article/library-as-infrastructure/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw4ImEBhDFARIsAGOTMj8925FKQcKpNO2uXyMP9SUdr4NrlMpnNr8VIeIiZnHEzk24whPK_AcaAsiYEALw_wcB&cn-reloaded=1
Retrieved 04/23/2019
[8] https://www.wecenergygroup.com/home/message/we-energies-safety-message.htm
Retrieved 04/27/221
Add Comment: (* mandatory fields)
|
|