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This Is What 2020 Was Like at America’s Libraries

Lindsey Simon on April 8, 2021

2020 was a year like no other—and libraries were no exception. Amid the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, libraries had to act fast, transforming their resources and services to meet the rapidly changing needs of their communities.

The American Library Association’s State of America’s Libraries Special Report: COVID-19 sheds new light on the challenges libraries faced in 2020. The picture it paints is clear: libraries never wavered in their commitment to literacy and digital access, even while battling public health threats and major budget cuts.

“Libraries also extended necessary lifelines to community members facing job losses, healthcare crises, and remote work and learning during an unprecedented and uncertain time,” ALA President Julius C. Jefferson, Jr. wrote in the report’s introduction. “Library professionals answered the call to serve amid multiple emergencies and again proved to be essential ‘first restorers’ or ‘second responders.’”

Here are some of the report’s key highlights:

  • Readers went digital during the pandemic. Libraries using the digital lending service OverDrive loaned out 289 million ebooks in 2020, a 40% increase from 2020.
  • Public, school, and academic libraries developed innovative services to keep their communities engaged and entertaining while social distancing, from online scavenger hunts to a book club hosted on kayaks. They also addressed the digital divide by loaning out internet hotspots and leaving their Wi-Fi on for people to use in their parking lots.
  • With the nation reeling from COVID-19, police violence against Black Americans, and a high-stakes presidential election, libraries developing resources and programs to support and inform their communities.
  • Voters showed up for libraries at the polls. Of more the 100 library-related referenda on local ballots last year, 90% passed, providing much needed support to libraries and their staff.
  • On top of the pandemic, many libraries and schools found themselves fighting censorship, with community members attempting to ban books relating to racial justice or LGBTQIA+ stories. ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 156 book challenges in 2020; these are the ten most targeted books.

To learn more, check out the full State of America’s Libraries Report.

Lead photo courtesy of Delray Beach Public Library.

How Libraries Are Supporting the 2020 Census

Lindsey Simon on March 11, 2021

A new decade means a new U.S. census—and libraries are doing their part to ensure that everyone gets counted.

The nation depends on a fair, accurate, and inclusive census to make sure billions of dollars in federal resources (from education funding to transportation infrastructure) are allocated appropriately. But counting millions of Americans is no small feat. Libraries are hard at work raising awareness of the census in their communities, especially among historically undercounted populations like immigrants and people experiencing homelessness.

For the first time ever, the 2020 Census will feature an online response option; for the many Americans don’t have an internet connection at home, libraries provide the essential service of free access to computers and Wi-Fi. As information literacy experts, librarians also play a key role in dispelling myths and anxieties about the census and helping people avoid scams.

Across the country, libraries have adopted innovative outreach strategies to ensure no one in their communities is undercounted. Mobile libraries from Baltimore to rural Cullman County, Alabama are bringing laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots to community centers, schools, and churches so that residents can complete their census forms on-the-go. Phoenix Public Library hosted a free picture day where families received a professional photo of their children alongside resources and information about the 2020 Census. Other libraries are hosting employment fairs to help people apply and train for census jobs.

With census results determining everything from congressional district boundaries to up to $1.5 trillion in federal funding, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Getting an accurate count will require communities to work together—and libraries are at the heart of those communities.

If you live in the United States, be sure to fill out your census questionnaire online, by phone, or by mail. For more information about how libraries are involved in the 2020 Census, visit ala.org/census.

How Your Family Can Make the Most of Screen Time During the Pandemic

Lindsey Simon on September 16, 2020

With people everywhere staying home to curb the spread of COVID-19, individuals of all ages are turning to screens for entertainment, information, and socialization. While digital media has been a lifeline during these unprecedented times, parents and caregivers may be wondering what online videos, apps, and games are best for their families. Fortunately, your local children’s library professional is there to help you make savvy, informed choices for your household’s media consumption.

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)’s #LookToLibraries campaign shares extensive resources for how caregivers can lean on their libraries for media mentorship. Media mentors work with families to find high-quality videos and websites, share tips for digital privacy and information literacy, and create media plans for how and when to use screens at home. Library professionals are experts in these topics and are happy to connect with your family online or over the phone during the pandemic.

“Children’s library professionals know how to find high-quality content that reflects our diverse community’s experiences and grows young people’s understanding and empathy for others,” Claudia Haines, youth services librarian at Alaska’s Homer Public Library, told I Love Libraries. “We appreciate the unusual circumstances many families find themselves in as a result of the pandemic and consider families’ unique experiences when recommending resources and offering learning programs in different formats.”

Library staff are also uniquely equipped to help others in their community learn media mentorship skills. “The most rewarding aspect of my media mentorship work right now is empowering teens to be mentors for each other and younger kids,” Haines shared. “In the process, they are growing their own media literacy skills, advocating for youth in our community, becoming effective, empathetic communicators, and acting as positive role models.”

These are overwhelming times, but your library is here to support you during the pandemic and beyond; don’t be too hard on yourself if you need help managing your family’s screen time and media choices. “Everything you are feeling is OK. We are living in the midst of a global pandemic with no end in sight-you don’t have to keep it all together!” ALSC president Kirby McCurtis told I Love Libraries. “It’s hard to evaluate the sources and appropriateness for children quickly. Media mentors’ goal is not to judge, but to help parents and caregivers understand the context and if the content is right for their child.”

Visit the #LookToLibraries website for even more resources and materials. Plus, check out ALSC President Kirby McCurtis’s appearance on ABC’s “Pandemic: What You Need to Know” explaining how families can lean on children’s library professionals for support.

Last Chance for Federal COVID-19 Funding—Here’s How You Can Help America’s Libraries

Lindsey Simon on July 21, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the U.S. economy, and our nation’s libraries are no exception. Libraries across the country are reporting drastic budget cuts, making it harder to serve their communities when Americans need them most. That’s why library advocates are calling on legislators to sign the Library Stabilization Fund Act, which would provide crucial financial relief to keep our libraries strong. The bill is the best—and likely, last—chance for America’s libraries to be included in federal relief.

Amid the unprecedented coronavirus crisis, libraries have found powerful ways to help their communities while maintaining social distancing. They’re connecting job seekers with free career resources, keeping students engaged with virtual storytimes and summer reading, providing hunger relief to those who need it, and expanding free Wi-Fi access using bookmobiles and parking lots. The pandemic may have disrupted traditional, in-person library services, but libraries are still hard at work meeting their communities’ needs. As libraries cautiously reopen, they are facing added expenses of PPE, cleaning, plexiglass shields, and more.

The current COVID-19 relief packages have left libraries out. Meanwhile, city and state governments are facing hard choices about how to spend limited resources. Now is the time for federal leaders to step in and provide libraries resources to ensure they can continue to offer transformative services during the pandemic and beyond. The Library Stabilization Fund Act, sponsored by Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Representative Andy Levin (D-MI), would allocate $2 billion in emergency recovery funding specifically for America’s 117,000 libraries and 370,000 library workers.

Want to keep libraries strong? Contact your Senators and Representative and ask them to cosponsor the Library Stabilization Fund Act.

For more information about the Library Stabilization Fund Act, visit the American Library Association website.

Urge the Senate to Provide Stimulus Funding to Libraries

Lindsey Simon on April 23, 2020

As Congress works to draft additional COVID-19 stimulus legislation, library advocates across the country are calling for libraries to be included in the funding package.

Last week, Reps. Andy Levin (D-MI), Don Young (R-AK), and Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) circulated a letter in the House calling for $2 billion in emergency funding for libraries through the Institute of Museum and Library Services. This week, Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) are circulating a similar Dear Colleague letter in the Senate. funding would be available through the Library Services and Technology Act grants to states program, ensuring that libraries everywhere will have access to support.

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, America’s libraries have remained strong, continuing to serve their communities even after closing their doors to the public. Remote library services during the pandemic include loaning electronic resources like eBooks and audiobooks, hosting virtual programs and storytimes, providing digital reference assistance, and expanding free Wi-Fi access in their local areas. Stimulus funding would empower libraries to continue supporting their communities during these challenging times.

Email your Senators today and urge them to sign the Dear Colleague letter supporting America’s libraries. 

These Closed Libraries Are Still Providing Free Wi-Fi

Lindsey Simon on March 25, 2020

With many schools, universities, and businesses closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, students and workers are finding themselves needing to take classes or do their jobs from home—putting the millions of Americans who lack in-home internet access in a challenging position. Thankfully, many libraries have found ways to provide web access to their communities, even after closing their doors to the public.

Libraries including Marathon County Public Library in rural Wisconsin and Cuyahoga County Public Library in Ohio have maintained strong Wi-Fi access outside their buildings so that people can bring their laptops and smartphones and connect to the internet. Residents can sit in their cars or stand nearby, as long as they stand more than six feet away from passersby.

“People depend on our libraries for access to a number of services, including free wireless internet, that they might not otherwise have,” said Angela Craig, executive director of Charleston County Public Library, told WCBD News. “Especially while children are asked to work on schoolwork from home, it’s vital that we keep doing everything in our power to provide for everyone in our community during these challenging times, including those without access.”

In addition to offering free Wi-Fi in their own parking lot, Leominster Public Library in Massachusetts has installed mobile hotspots at the local Senior Center and Veterans’ Center so even more locals can take advantage of online resources. “We thought we could put them to good use, so the whole community could use them,” Library Director Sondra Murphy told Telegram & Gazette. “Right now there are a lot of children and families that do not have access to the internet, and there are so many virtual resources being passed around.”

Library leaders are collaborating closely with government and health officials to ensure alignment with local, state and federal guidelines related to public gatherings, including on library grounds. Health and safety concerns remain paramount, and services may shift in response to changing directives.

The American Library Association has recommended libraries leave their Wi-Fi on during closures when possible and in accordance with health guidelines related to shelter in place and social distancing. To see if your local library has public Wi-Fi access available, call or visit their website.

For more stories about how libraries are serving their communities amid the coronavirus known as COVID-19, subscribe to the I Love Libraries newsletter.

Librarians’ Advice for Educators

Lindsey Simon on March 23, 2020

As the coronavirus known as COVID-19 continues to spread, schools, colleges, and universities across the country find themselves in an unprecedented position: working to uphold their teaching and research missions while switching entirely to online learning. Libraries are a key resource for educators wondering about the role of copyright in the virtual classroom.

“Libraries have a big role to play both in advocating for the public interest related to copyright, and in being more closely connected to members of the public on a day-to-day basis than lots of the other folks who work on copyright issues,” explains Nancy Sims, Copyright Program Librarian at the University of Minnesota.

With that in mind, Sims and other librarians specializing in copyright have put together a guide for instructors about navigating fair use for remote teaching. In copyright law, fair use refers to circumstances where people can legally use copyrighted works without permission. Fair use can apply to many different situations; historically, courts have often allowed people to use copyrighted materials for educational purposes or to serve the public’s interest.

The statement explains that emergency circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic prompting a switch to online instruction make a strong case for fair use of copyrighted material. During a remote class, instructors may need to stream a documentary film in their online classroom, or a school librarian might read a children’s book aloud during a virtual storytime. From a copyright perspective, sharing content like this online is different from doing so in-person, but librarians urge educators not to let copyright fears derail their teaching.

Here are some of librarians’ top tips for how educators can fairly use copyrighted materials during online teaching:

  • Be thoughtful about how much you copy. For example, if you’re showing online students a scene from a movie, it’s better to share just the relevant clip rather than the entire film.
  • Do your due diligence. Double-check to see if you can find a licensed alternative before sharing licensed materials, but there’s no need to go overboard. “Lack of time to check for licenses should not be a barrier to meeting the needs of our communities,” the statement urges.
  • Limit the spread of copyrighted materials. Make sure any materials you share are available only to enrolled students and teaching assistants, and that they are only accessible during the time period when they’re needed.
  • Be extra careful about sharing from DVDs or other resources that may be protected by digital rights management. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) makes hacking of DRM a further violation of the law. Librarians recommend using fully-licensed streaming services whenever possible.

“The number one takeaway is for educators to feel confident using fair use,” says Kyle Courtney, Copyright Advisor for Harvard University and another author of the guide. “Let’s utilize technology and fair use to enhance access to materials needed for our communities!”

For more detailed information about fair use for remote teaching, read the full Public Statement of Library Copyright Specialists: Fair Use & Emergency Remote Teaching & Research. Resources for finding openly-licensed educational materials are available from Library of Congress, Internet Archive, We Are Teachers, and Scholastic’s Learn at Home website. If you have specific questions about using copyrighted material in an online classroom or how to find open access alternatives, contact your institution’s library.

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