If you have an idea for a My Library Is... blog post, send it to the RAILS Communications Team at communications@railslibraries.info.
Posted on August 24, 2020
As librarians working during COVID-19, our main challenge is to understand our community’s needs when social distancing is a must. In the past three months, the Northlake Public Library District has worked through four different re-opening phases that required constant adaptation and resilience.
Posted on August 3, 2020
When the initial coronavirus shutdown came in early March, no one had any idea long it would actually last. Libraries closed with little or no warning. Books that were checked out could not be returned, new books could not be checked out, and all the programs and activities that libraries pride themselves on were cancelled.
Posted on July 29, 2020
When life felt normal, before the Coronavirus outbreak became a pandemic, a typical day for the Outreach Services Team at Fountaindale Public Library District would look like this:
Posted on July 24, 2020
Bridie Murphy faithfully attends story time with Ms. B at the Palos Park Public Library. She listens to the welcome song, looks at all the pictures, and knows when to say goodbye. With the implementation of social distancing regulations, story time looks a little different now. Rather than joining other children in the library, she watches Ms.
Posted on July 8, 2020
Like many people going through their daily routine, I left work on March 12th not realizing what was coming next. I just finished another successful monthly book club meeting and I was looking forward to a weekend road trip with the girls. It was planned six months previous and we were all excited to get away and enjoy Nashville.
Posted on July 1, 2020
When a librarian at one of the state universities called to survey this academic library about our plans for re-opening from the pandemic, our response that “we never closed” was met with shock.
Posted on June 16, 2020
What would you say if someone (a library user, potential user, administrator, funder, colleague, friend, relative, neighbor, elected official, etc.) asked you any of the following questions and you had less than 30 seconds to answer before losing the interest of your audience?
Posted on June 8, 2020
We are excited to share a recently completed anthology created by the Brookfield Writers Group (BWG) and the La Grange Writers Group (LGWG) titled "Covid Chronicles: 19-word Stories." While this anthology is a record of individual experiences and perspectives during this pandemic, it is also a demonstration that creative collaboration is possible during a time of social distancing!
Posted on June 2, 2020
Anyone seeing the shortages of yeast, flour, and eggs could tell there was a whole lot of stress baking going on during the COVID-19 stay-at-home order. To document this historically significant time, the Rock Island Public Library cooked up The Quad City Quarantine Cookbook project.
Posted on May 19, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us in one way or another. Businesses have closed their doors. Many of us know someone who has been sick or may have gotten sick ourselves. The worst was having to tell our patrons, “No, we don’t want you coming to the library.” What are we if we cannot offer services to the community?