Libraries are the gems of their communities. In no other place are people from all walks of life and socioeconomic backgrounds welcomed and serve as a space for us to encounter the “other,” no questions asked.  We respect your privacy; encourage you to participate in our programs, use the computers; help you research, look for materials and much more. 

Meeting at the library has not been possible since the closure but, we in the library world prefer to think of what we can do.  And, I knew that if I was missing my library, many others were, too and with this video, could reach out to let people know that we, at their library--miss them back, very much. Our video is an homage to library-lovers everywhere, who are wondering about us and what we’re up to. 

My work in public libraries for five years, is a small stretch compared to many of my library-lifer, seasoned colleagues who’ve been on the scene for 10-, 15-, 20-years.  I came to work for the library late in life and have had the tremendous joy of seeing one of my dreams realized!

Speaking of which, creating this video is a great honor, because I get to share my passion for libraries with you all. I hope its message comforts, informs and instills in you the knowledge that we are still here for you, just in a different way. We want to hear from you and can’t wait to see you back at the library!

Our guest blogger today is Claire Ong. Claire is the Adult Services Associate at the Warrenville Public Library District. You can watch Warrenville and Fox River Valley's new advocacy video in the My Library Is... Sharing Showcase.