This article was written by Scout Pollack of Richard Montgomery High School
As the pandemic continues worldwide, many seek comfort in a form they know best: books. However, libraries have been affected as well. Fortunately, many around the country and the globe are coming up with new and adaptive ways to provide knowledge, entertainment and a sense of community in these uncertain times.
In this day and age, audiobooks and reading on devices is an option readily available for anyone with internet access and a phone. As most libraries are physically closed at the moment due to safety concerns, many are turning to a new media for their reading fix. Sites like Kindle and OverDrive have seen exponential increases in their amount of users and borrowed books per week. According to OverDrive, loans are up almost 20 percent from the previous year. Most libraries, such as the Los Angeles Public Library, already have a large database of e-books in place, and the catalog has already grown. These books are free to borrow as long as you have a library card and an internet connection. The Rockville Public Library has an online catalog as well, so this is an option for citizens of Montgomery County.
Libraries have also been making the most of the shutdown by hosting events online. Moving scheduled projects such as book festivals and author readings to forums such as Zoom and Youtube are great ways to allow the participants to safely engage in conversation. For example, the Library of Congress hosted its National Book Festival completely online, with live chats where audience members could ask questions of authors, along with activities that both children and adults could enjoy from the comfort and safety of their sofas.
Books are not the only reason people constantly frequent libraries; they also provide access to computers and the internet. Given that they can longer do this, staff—such as the ones at Royal Oak Public Library in Michigan—have purchased Chromebooks that can be borrowed and positioned WiFi hotspots around the community for those who do not have access. These simple acts, provided at no cost, are helping people get through tough times.
Many libraries have also acknowledged that the buildings are frequently used for tutor sessions and quiet studying. As a result, libraries have begun to offer free online tutoring in a variety of subjects in place of in-person meetings. Some, like the Seattle Public Library, have sites where students can match with tutors or join live meetings where they can learn and ask questions with others.
In most communities, library buildings are more than just a place of knowledge and words. They provide a common building for people to meet up in, connect to the online world, browse for hours, or sit in the quiet and escape their daily lives. With these physical buildings out of service, many are doing their best to create this same atmosphere in an online platform.
For more inspiration and information on what the Montgomery County Library system is doing and what you can get involved in, check out their page and sign up for a library card to access their online catalog. Though the future is undecided, one thing is for certain: there’s nothing that can’t be solved with a good book!
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