The COVID lockdowns affected our library dramatically. Like everyone else, we were made to close our doors, but we immediately introduced curbside service to keep our patrons connected to the books they loved. Our doors were only closed for a couple of months; we were one of the first libraries in Virginia to open back up to patrons. The Central Shenandoah Health District eventually chose libraries to be one of the distribution points for free COVID tests for everyone. This is a service that the library still provides today.
The COVID lockdowns had a profound impact on this library. The number of children who came to the library unattended went to zero because of temporary library policy, but then never rebounded after the policy was dropped. Some groups that used the meeting room regularly never reconvened after meetings were allowed again. During lockdown people became familiar with more ways to obtain their desired content digitally. The use of library books, audio books on CD, DVDs, and children’s content went down dramatically. We have never recovered from this shift in how people consume their content. We’ve adapted by offering many more options for online resources, so that being able to afford access isn’t a barrier to use for our patrons.
