Serving the community during a difficult year
By PJ Martin
Editor
Edmonton Herald-News
The Metcalfe County Public Library has weathered the Covid-19 closings along with the rest of the community. Prior to the Covid-19 quarantine in March, the library was set to have another busy year. Director Kasey Warf reported the following statistics for the 2019 – 2020 Fiscal Year.
- 16,305 people visited the library
- 182 in-person programs were offered with 5,719 people attending
- 40,431 items were checked out
- 4,059 people viewed an online program
- 724 reference transactions occurred
Even after the closure to in-person traffic on March 16th, the library responded by converting their current programs to virtual and continued to serve the community. Director Warf states that the library initiated ways to help the community by forgiving all past and present fines and extending the check-out period for all items. The library also offered free copy and fax services.
In order to follow safety measures many services went virtual such as crafting classes, storytime, the summer reading program, children’s cooking classes, a t-shirt design contest, and a Halloween costume contest. Drive-in storytime was presented at three local parks, a socially distanced Easter Egg Hunt was held, and Craft To-Go kits were available for pick-up outside the front door.
Those changes were very well received with 961 to-go kits assembled and received, 4,059 people viewed the online programs of the 57 virtual/socially distanced programs offered, according to Warf.
As of last week, more safety regulations were put into place by our governor; however, the MCPL has free online resources, curbside services, and instant access library cards for everyone who wants to continue to enjoy the library.
“The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.”
Albert Einstein
