Attending the Canadian Urban Institute webinar on "how will the role of public libraries be changed" in and after COVID, featuring @KitchLibrary's own @ChevreauMary. I will thread my thoughts here

In BC they are being told the curve has started to flatten, and patrons are desperate to get back to their books. A ThinkTank has been assembled to work out how reopening will work
#citytalk

From BC to Halifax, virtual resources have spiked. Nova Scotia has had a "difficult month and a wretched week" and the community has truely come together to support one another.

Virtual and e-services are great, but don't help those living in rural areas with bad or nonexistent internet service. Halifax Public Library have distributed activity packs to disconnected areas, to keep people engaged

Libraries have always been adaptable, providing services when and where they need to. This has allowed programming from the libraries to move online and come up with innovations that many municipalities are still struggling with.

Libraries are a critical connection point in the communities. However, libraries will not be the first or the second wave of places that reopen because of their vulnerabilites.

Reopening dates are moving dates

Investments in technology made in the past have really saved libraries during this process. Staff have been trained and a lot of what patrons need was already in place but under used. It will likely be appreciated more in the future.

In times of emergency, orgs tend to look inward and become insular. During this crisis, libraries have really stepped up and look outward and helped support the cities and the community.

University libraries have had an astounding amount of resources online already because of the trends in education. Online reference services, that public libraries might have been experimenting with, have long been established.

The University libraries across Ontario have banded together in helping one another, using existing connective tissue to build greater bonds.

Library serve three roles: as places, as service providers, and as caregivers.

Digital is not equitable, it is important to remember that. It is a tool, and in times like this, an important one, but it is not a replacement for libraries as a place

Libraries as a place have always been concerned about safety. Safety will be redefined after this. Alternative service models will be something that libraries will have to adjust to for space planning and set-ups. Retail and restaurants will be great leaders in these models

How long is a book quarantine after it is returned? How many people can be in a computer lab or hub? What physical distance is allowed in spaces? There are best practises that will have to be developed and embraced

Libraries are a great place to see people of all economic, cultural, and generational backgrounds come together. What do libraries do when fewer people will be allowed to share spaces?

Could this be an opportunity for libraries to resurge as the community centrepoint? In Vancouver, libraries were deemed an essential service, but that is all different in every jurisdiction.

Internet as an essential service should be a huge part of the conversation when we rebuild our society after restrictions are removed, as even in a place like Kitchener 23% of people have no internet access

Library serve more than just the tax payers. In larger communities, libraries might serve multiple municipalities. It's about best serving everyone.

A new normal will be created, and going back to the old normal will be harder than people expect. It depends on preparedness. Pedagogy needs to be invested in as much as technology.

Libraries are not revenue generators, and budgets are always strained. There has been an under investment in the social programs for years, and libraries are on the front lines, but rarely get the money to support those services

There is a systemic issue with how services are funded from a municipal level, and from provincial and federal support.

Community Supported Librarianship is normal on Vancouver Island, and that will become a new normal for services across the country. The library will extend beyond the walls of buildings, and beyond the common services of bookmobiles, senior home calls, and new parents

It can't be business as usual, it has to be business as possible

It will become more important for senior management to look at teams and see where strengths are to adapt and roll with the punches, and put them in positions where they can be most effective.

Homeless and at-risk community members will be the first people back into libraries, but that doesn't mean communities can let libraries become emergency shelters just because the libraries are the place that's open. Libraries shouldn't replace proper supports for these people

Is there an opportunity, even in the shadow of austerity, for libraries to become the town square. We were in the midst of a library renaissance, and hopefully that doesn't detail that. Libraries were embracing their role as community supports.

This could be an opportunity to widen the scope of who can find a career in libraries, through a variety of backgrounds and educations, not just library science degrees.