Now more than ever, libraries are an essential part of every community, from providing early literacy to your little one through home-bound programs for those with mobility constraints. In the past year, libraries shifted their services to respond to community needs during the pandemic and it’s time to celebrate libraries around the Nation. Please Join us in celebrating the Aurora Public Library District (APLD) during National Library Week, April 4 through April 10. Need a reason or two to celebrate the Library? Let’s look back at many of APLD’s accomplishments from the past year.
In non-pandemic times, libraries provide collections and resource assistance to customers, including reference, reader’s advisory, and programs. These services became difficult to provide when the pandemic shut down our Nation, but that did not stop APLD from ensuring customers’ needs were met.
First, staff members were creative with technology and began providing remote reference and customer service through our phone bank, a centralized location for all customers to call to receive assistance. In 2020, our phone bank handled 9,947 calls, which was a 12% increase from 2019! In addition, APLD transformed our website to offer appointments for curb-side hold pickup of materials, public computer use, and browse and go sessions.
Staff members took on the challenge to shift previously in-person programs, such as book discussions and crafting sessions, to virtual platforms. They learned new editing software to turn pre-recorded content into full length programs, and became skilled at Zoom in order to provide personal interactions with customers in a safe and secure manner. Staff members worked together across locations to create and maintain a schedule of weekly programs for all age groups that responded to community needs, from learning how to make masks at the beginning of the pandemic through informational sessions about the vaccine.
Great examples of our switch to virtual programs include our upcoming National Library Week schedule. The Tour of Lincoln Bookbindery at 6 p.m. Friday, April 6 will provide a glimpse of what it’s like to make books from bookbinder Tedra Ashley-Wannemuehler of Lincoln Bookbindery in Urbana, Ill. In addition, the live virtual program Celebrate National Library Week: Literacy Action Panel at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 11 invites you to come hear how residents in Aurora are turning passion into action to promote literacy and libraries around the world. Registration is available for both events at aurorapubliclibrary.org/events.
APLD’s crafting programs were extremely popular prior to the pandemic. They were shifted to craft kits in order to accommodate those in quarantine. APLD offered monthly kits with various themes and provided them to customers through our curb-side pickup service. Children’s staff put together a total of 1,055 kits between June 2020 and January. In June and July, APLD collaborated with the city government of Aurora to create 2,000 kits around the theme of self-expression which included a journal, art and writing prompts, stickers and color pencils. Kits were translated in both English and Spanish and were distributed to students in Aurora.
The APLD Foundation got in on the kit action and halted the bookmobile campaign at the onset of the pandemic and pivoted efforts to help Aurora’s vulnerable children. To do this, the APLD Foundation became a partner with the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry and Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry to distribute books and small motor skill items. Included in the packets were literacy lessons and activities prepared by APLD’s Early Literacy Librarian. Feedback from recipients was positive and it was heartwarming to hear that adults learning English used the dual-language books too! By the end of the year, more than 10,000 packets were distributed!
Another major shift was to make services available through digital platforms. One example is reader’s advisory, or helping readers find their next great read. Reader’s advisory plays a crucial role in cultivating an interest in literacy among individuals of all ages. Staff members accomplished it by developing three avenues for customer reader’s advisory discovery: A Staff Recommendations web page, www.aurorapubliclibrary.org/recommendations; themed Picks for Social Media where staff members share themed recommendations for all age groups; and our new Book Chats, which are 30-60 second videos about a book that’s new to APLD. Videos are posted at least once per month on our Recommendations web page, YouTube, and Facebook.
So how exactly can you join us in this celebration? Here’s a few ways to support us:
• Make a donation towards the new Bookmobile here: aplfoundation.org/bookmobile;
• Promote using the Library to your friends and neighbors;
• Follow us on social media @APLibraryIL and write a review;
• Visit the Library. Your visit and items you check out count!
• Recognize our amazing staff members and their contributions.
More importantly, the Aurora Public Library District thanks you for your visits, continued support, and purpose given.
Happy National Library Week!
Miriam Meza-Gotto is communications manager at the Aurora Public Library District.