Shifrin put the questions together on Google slides, with questions directly followed by answers. This guidance is intended to provide information to Federal Depository Coordinators and their staff on how to safely maintain services to users and safeguard collections during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was appealing because TAB was enthusiastic about it; they liked the idea of doing something fun online with their friends. San Diego County public health officials have reported 2,509 COVID … Elsewhere, in rural eastern North Carolina, the Farmville Public Library moved its annual Farmville Moves collaboration with Farmville Parks & Recreation into cyberspace. Examples of library plans, policies and procedures for services during the COVID-19 pandemic. No … The library offers interactive storytimes, STEAM activities, and arts and crafts activities for teens. On April 21, 2020, the American Library Association published “7 Ways to Celebrate Nature while Social Distancing,” focusing on simple things people can do in their backyards, neighborhoods and parks to celebrate Earth Day and stay engaged with greenspaces during the pandemic. In past years, the library provided motivational literature and speakers, and the park and recreation department provided expert instruction in safe physical activity and route planning. Send a web link or a copy of your policies, procedures, or other documents and we will get them posted!. At Florence Lauderdale Public Library in Florence, Ala., young adult librarian Kristen Tippett Briggs created two online scavenger hunts. SD County Reports 2,509 New COVID-19 Cases, 27 More Deaths –5:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020. Team leaders would give the answers, alternating who answered first between the two teams. Right out of the gate, I found park and recreation agencies collaborating with public libraries for a unified response. If anything, I feel this crisis has challenged all of us to reach people in a different way and to do what we do best: assisting, helping, and providing a variety of services to our communities any way we can.”, While closed to the public, Westland Public Library in Westland, Mich., has been hosting weekly social media challenges for teens. Please share examples from your library! An ABC affiliate in Philadelphia reported on this new library service: “It has become particularly useful during this time of social distancing to avoid further spread of COVID-19. Posts will include health information, government resources, as well as educational materials for you and your child - if it's out there, we'll find it! Category topics included “Name That Musical,” “Name That Phobia,” and “Weird Fruit Facts.” An e-gift card was sent to the winner. Rather than a scattered response emanating from different agencies, the schools, libraries and parks came together to have one unified message. Because of COVID, the Torrington Library closed to the public on March 13th. — to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time.”, In Southhampton, Pennsylvania, the public library launched what it calls a “Story Stroll” in Tamanend Park in March. In Eastern Tennessee, the City of Elizabethton Parks and Recreation and Carter County Public Library teamed up to host a quarantine photo contest. As public libraries make plans to phase in reopening during the Covid-19 pandemic, they must consider how best to balance the safety of staff and patrons with the mission of providing the community with access to the resources traditionally offered by the library. This poetry scavenger hunt challenges teens to find famous poems online, then answer questions about the poem. Wright Memorial Library in Oakwood, Ohio successfully hosted a virtual trivia night, a program that was originally being planned as a late March program. While not a complete list, and we are adding more services, here are some of the ways we are continuing to serve the community: Simply close and relaunch your preferred browser to log-in. A Guide to COVID-19 for Public Libraries. banimode May 11, 2020 at 11:39 am. With a mission to serve children first, librarians have helped develop plans and brought in engaging new tools for learning that … Kalamazoo Public Library in Kalamazoo, Mich., is hosting a weekly program they’ve dubbed Animal Crossing with KPL Staff, in the hope that, for an hour each week, “patrons can not only escape from the worries of the Covid-19 pandemic, but also “talk” to library staff or make some new friends. PW has compiled five innovative approaches to teen programming, including fresh takes on trivia, gaming, scavenger hunts, and social media challenges. Subscribers: to set up your digital access click here. For more information about NRPA’s response to COVID-19, as well as available resources for park and recreation professionals, please visit the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) webpage. covid-19 program ideas Online Story Time & Coronavirus: It’s Fair Use, Folks As your library moves many of its services online in response to the coronavirus pandemic , you may be wondering about the legality of posting recorded story times to your Facebook or YouTube page. The two agencies have now moved this collaboration online. As the COVID-19 pandemic has spread throughout the United States, I have been actively tracking how public libraries have responded. Learn strategies to diversify funding with this guide. Southampton Free Library recommends contacting your local library to find out about story walks near you. Library Services During Covid-19. Sign up for our Children's Bookshelf newsletter! New after-school program In response to COVID, we have revamped our free after-school program into STEAM enrichment kits, STEAM standing for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics, for ages five and up. © 2020 National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). Dozens of families have completed the challenge and you can see some examples on the library’s Facebook events page. “While there continues to be no confirmed cases in West Virginia, our library is prepared to be an information hub for the community,” Murphy said… Staff worked remotely to ensure that patrons still has access to library cards, materials, programs and more. Across the country, librarians continue working with park and recreation professionals on StoryWalk® programming, which combines literacy and nature education by placing pages of storybooks along trails — typically in parks or along greenways. The park and recreation department also offers exercise and fitness classes, sports skills and drills, and specialty classes. Learn more in the blog post “How Public Libraries Are Helping Us Find Nature During the Crisis” published on the Children & Nature Network’s website. At the national level, the American Library Association has also helped public libraries do their part to keep their patrons connected to nature. While the Library’s doors have been closed to the public, SFPL staff is actively deployed, working in service of the City of San Francisco as Disaster Service Workers (DSWs) to assist in the response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The first, called simply “Teen Internet Scavenger Hunt,” was created in Google Forms for participants ages 11 to 18 and asked questions about various authors and about the library’s website. In other communities, libraries and park and recreation professionals are finding other ways to work together to promote engagement in parks and green spaces during the pandemic. In High Point, North Carolina, with the support of an America Walks Community Change Grant, the library and park and recreation department announced the launch of their new “Urban Hikes” initiative on April 15. Eventually, it was determined that posting each island’s Dodo Code 30 minutes before the start of the program was the most straightforward way to invite patrons to visit library islands. According to the Central for Disease Control (CDC), 8 out of 10 deaths related to COVID-19 are individuals aged 65 years and older. As the COVID-19 pandemic has spread throughout the United States, I have been actively tracking how public libraries have responded. Briggs said, “The scavenger hunt also included fun things on the web like taking tours of museums and describing what they saw.” Briggs has since created a scavenger hunt specifically for National Poetry Month. “The teens who participated were so excited to see each other, and it was energizing for me to be able to see their faces!” Normally, a program’s success is measured by attendance, but now, Shifrin said, “The disappointment the teens expressed when the program ended indicated success. Your library is here for you. Silver Streaming is coming to you LIVE every week with FREE Fitness and Knowledge classes through our Facebook page!” Tuesdays feature free fitness programs sponsored by the park and recreation department and Thursdays feature lifelong learning programming by the library. Originally, Jones planned to award a $20 Amazon e-gift card to one winner, but, given the number of participants, two gift certificates were awarded. Public Library Association PLA Resources on COVID-19. Book return drop boxes Thursdays/Fridays — all branches Unable to open their doors to their communities, youth services librarians have taken their programs online. Urban Library Council Coronavirus Resources Recruit local businesses or community members to create DIY videos for the library Families are bringing their children out to read at the park when they are otherwise stuck at home. Her biggest obstacle, Bengson said, was figuring out the technology, but coworkers helped her run beta tests. Northeast Document Conservation Center Disinfecting Circulating Books. With 10 participants, Bengson feels the program was a success, noting that “while those aren’t huge numbers, they are very good numbers during this unusual time.” She reported that the library’s last event planned by TAB had 23 attendees, which is “on the large side” for her library. One patron even “created his own Kalamazoo Public Library shirt, complete with logo.”, “In regard to measuring a program’s success,” King said, “anything that can elicit so much joy in both staff and patrons during a worldwide crisis is a victory.”. Youth and teen librarian Nicole Sype said she hasn’t used social media for programs like this before, but she’s “excited for the opportunity to reach teens where they are.”, One unanticipated obstacle Sype encountered was verifying that photos were submitted by teen and their parents. The Library of Congress helped lead the charge earlier this month, announcing that it would close all its facilities to the public until April and suspend library-sponsored programs … Staff are also rostered to our Ask A Librarian live service via Facebook and Twitter with staff answering a range of questions centred primarily on tech help to connect with our current programs or eResources. To limit exposure of the virus to you and your loved ones, library staff are diligently working on offering more services through contactless ways. Despite the difficulties in reaching the intended audience, Shifrin said the program felt like a success. NRPA offers the tools and knowledge needed to advocate for and implement green infrastructure in parks with the Greener Parks for Health suite of resources — the Communications Toolkit, Policy Action Framework and Advocacy Toolkit. Library of Congress Announces Limited Access to Facilities and Public Events Canceled Until Further Notice Out of an abundance of caution, all Library of Congress buildings and facilities will be closed to the public, including researchers and others with reader identification cards, starting at 5 p.m. Thursday, March 12 until further notice to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19 coronavirus. Briggs was happy with the response the scavenger hunts have received, saying that the number of participants exceeded her expectations.” While virtual events are uncharted territory for Briggs, she said that “this situation has afforded [the library staff] a great opportunity to explore a new avenue to reach our community, especially our teens.” New to her position and concerned about losing her budding relationship with the community, Briggs was eager to try something new: “People are noticing and realizing that the library isn’t just about being in a physical building. There are plans to keep the stroll active until the library reopens, refreshing the choice of book every Friday. The Library will not be open to the public for browsing during this period due to … Call: 1-800-278-2991 (US) or 1-818-487-2069 (Outside US/Canada) 5 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon-Fri (Pacific). Bailey Public Library’s virtual programs help keep Winthrop-area residents connected during pandemic. Some have reimagined tried and true programs, while others have tapped into rising trends, setting up community spaces in unexpected places. The virtual trivia night took place on April 21 from 5:30–7:00. In many regions that have not yet seen local cases of COVID-19, many libraries remained open while awaiting instructions from local leaders and public health officials. Through the new Farmville Moves at Home Program the library and park and recreation department are encouraging everyone, regardless of fitness level, to work towards better health and fitness by walking, jogging, running or participating in any form of exercise. It is not often you get such a diverse group of staff, from different departments, assisting with a program.” Second, more than 20 “island hoppers” traveled between four islands, playing games with KPL staff, trading items, and playing magical chairs. 5 thoughts on “ What it Means to be a Library During COVID-19 ” Pingback: National Emergency Library Weekly Update: 5/11 - Internet Archive Blogs. Fundraising can be daunting — NRPA’s comprehensive Park and Recreation Professionals’ Guide to Fundraising can help. King called the program successful in “two unique ways.” Staff members opening their island to patrons include “librarians, administrators, library aides, and substitutes. It seems like every teacher and every school has slightly different times when they are doing “live” classes or office hours, so that has been difficult to navigate, especially in my newly changed daily schedule,” Shifrin said. Library Storytimes during COVID-19 – a Different Kind of Connection Saroj Ghoting with Brooke Doyle and Betha Gutsche / 05 May 2020 In part one of a two-part series, Saroj Ghoting , early childhood literacy consultant, looks at ways to adjust storytimes for virtual engagement. Though our buildings are closed due to the unpredictable and harmful spread of COVID-19, Multnomah County Library has been expanding existing services and standing up new ones to ensure you can access library services when you need us most. If you have questions or need assistance setting up your account please email pw@pubservice.com or call 1-800-278-2991 (U.S.) or 1-818-487-2069 (all other countries), Monday-Friday between 5am and 5pm Pacific time for assistance. As of Friday morning, Elkins-Randolph County Public Library in northeast West Virginia was on a “hurry up and wait status” but had not canceled programs or services, said Library Director Stephanie Murphy. Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loan. Across the country, libraries are closed to the public to limit the spread of Covid-19. Libraries and park and recreation professionals also team up to promote safe, physical distance walking. The program, offered at four QPL locations including Cambria Heights, Laurelton, Central and the Queens Public Library for Teens in Far Rockaway, has resumed virtually in October. At almost the same moment in time, staff from the Tempe, Arizona, library and park and recreation agency were at work on their own unified virtual programming platform. The outdoor atmosphere allows families to stay far away from each other and still enjoy the space.”. While it wasn’t unexpected, Shifrin said it was more difficult to schedule programs for teens virtually than it is when the library is open because the library usually holds teen programs in the evening, but the library currently has limited hours, which means programming is limited to the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. “The earlier time did not work for a lot of my students. There’s an added incentive to win gift cards to Play It Again Sports in their town and free entry into the Town of Farmville’s 6th annual 5K & Fun Run to be held in the fall. Right out of the gate, I found park and recreation agencies collaborating with public libraries for a unified response. Find the most up-to-date information about the current services and ways you can connect with Boise Public Library below. Library building closures widen a chronic digital divide. As the pandemic created a new normal in communities across the country, park and recreation agencies and public libraries deepened their partnership to create new virtual programming. Bengson said that TAB chose a Tuesday evening as “the school gives [students] a day off on Wednesdays to catch up with their virtually assigned schoolwork.”, According to Bengson, “This was the first time I’ve tried anything like this. Libraries across the country continue to offer similar services in partnership with parks and recreation. Due to increasing community spread of COVID-19, we have made changes to services and operations with staff and community health and safety as our top priority. Our city’s online library provided the use of books via the Internet, and I was able to read my clothing design books for free. Current Services. The libraries recently implemented a … ImagineIf Libraries located in Montana has been working to help solve the technology access problems that many are experiencing during the pandemic. National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) 22377 Belmont Ridge Road Ashburn, VA 20148-4501 PH: 800.626.NRPA (6772)Contact Us. Parts of this site are only available to paying PW subscribers. Over the next few days/weeks, Library staff will be curating and posting resources geared towards helping you and your family cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Society of American Archivists Resources for Response to COVID-19 Health Crisis. In Bowling Green, Kentucky, the Warren County Public Library announced on April 6: “We are so excited to share our newest online program in partnership with Warren County Parks and Recreation Department! The challenge and you can connect with Boise public library teamed up to host a quarantine contest. 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