To paraphrase Dickens, it’s been the best of times and the worst of times in the library world as we navigated being closed to the public, to offering curbside pick up, to actually opening our doors to the community. And we can say it’s definitely been the age of learning!
When we began curbside pickup in April this year, we did not expect the response we received. This service was our way of helping our community cope with what was happening around us and bringing some semblance of normalcy to our lives. People were so unequivocally grateful and appreciative that we had 25 pickups within hours of our announcement! That escalated amazingly to sometimes over 75 pickups a day!
We opened our doors to the public on June 22nd after much thought and careful planning. This wasn’t opening after a long weekend; this was opening DURING A PANDEMIC! We did everything in our power to ensure the safety and comfort of our customers and staff– from clear signs to services and physical distancing; to limiting the time and number of visits; to a schedule for disinfecting computers, hard surfaces and touch points. We read pages and pages of documents from the health authorities and WorkSafe BC, listened in on workshops and webinars, brainstormed with colleagues and other industry officials to put a training program for staff in place.
It brings us immense satisfaction to see the public use our space again. Our computers are booked for the better part of the day and holds are picked up on a regular basis. Slowly, but surely, parents are beginning to bring their children in because they know the Library is taking safety precautions to help keep our customers safe.
We are grateful to be a part of this vibrant community and look forward to expanding our services and continuing to be a hub for learning, entertainment and fellowship. Stay safe everyone!