Libraries 2020 COVID Resources and Messaging

As families across the country are challenged by social distancing and voluntary isolation in the face of COVID-19, libraries are helping to fill the entertainment, education, information, and inquiry gaps. While you may already think of your local library as a resource for digital and online resources, we want to encourage you to also check out the amazing resources from your state library too.

Are you or your family under self-quarantine or lockdown due to the Coronavirus? Or has your employer asked you to work from home? With the Coronavirus (COVID-19) being declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization lots of people are stuck at home waiting. So what can you do during that time once you’re tired of binge-watching shows or you’ve read all the way through your pile of books? You may not know it, but your local public library offers all sorts of online services to help get you through your extended homestay — and it is all completely free of charge.

Libraries have always been there for people in times of need or crisis, whether it is in person, over the phone, or online. As parents face the uncertainties of school closings and the disruption or cancellation of children’s activities due to COVID-19 (aka the Coronavirus), or if you and your family are currently homebound due to quarantine, it is comforting to know that your local public library can still be of service to you even from the safety of your own home.

As designated essential disaster services, libraries are poised to serve a role in the national response to the Coronavirus and COVID-19. Some changes to libraries as a public gathering place may be temporarily required, but our mission of sharing information will likely continue unchanged. They will remain great resources to access credible medical information and connect to resources to help you and your community.

When a disaster or crisis hits a community, the public library often serves as a safe haven. Libraries provide a place of comfort, direction, normalcy, and resources to help guide recovery efforts for the people they serve. Library staff frequently serve at their local Emergency Operations Centers during and after a disaster. While we always hope for the best, it’s good to know that in case of a disaster, your library is a cornerstone of recovery.